Anti-abortion bills in Wisconsin, Texas, North Carolina show GOP muscle

Jul 9 2013

Anti-abortion activists in Republican-dominated states have succeeded in pushing various bills that limit the procedure.

Los Angeles Times: Wisconsin Governor Signs Bill Restricting Abortion
Wisconsin this week became the latest state to pass legislation restricting abortions, though opponents of the measure quickly filed suit. The bill, signed Friday by Gov. Scott Walker, would require women to view an ultrasound of the fetus before an abortion. Providers would be required to point out the fetus' features on the ultrasound (Kelly, 7/6).

CNN: Wisconsin Governor Signs Tough Abortion Bill
The woman also must be provided a means to see any heartbeat, according to the law. The bill, which passed the Republican-controlled Legislature in June, also places stricter standards on abortion clinics by prohibiting doctors without admitting privileges at local hospitals from performing abortions. Pregnancies that result from rape or incest are excluded from the requirements (Killough, 7/5).

The Hill: Abortion Bills In State Legislatures Gaining National Attention
Efforts by conservatives to restrict abortion in several state legislatures are receiving national attention, as Republicans work to pass national versions. In Texas, state Sen. Wendy Davis (D) found herself in the national spotlight after filibustering a proposal that would ban abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy. ... Republican legislators' efforts to pass similar laws in other states have received national attention as well (Strauss, 7/7).

The Washington Post: Abortion Limits At State Level Return Issue To The National Stage
The measures are part of a wave of abortion limits passed this year by conservative lawmakers and governors, who have approved more than 40 restrictions in statehouses around the country, according to data from the Guttmacher Institute, which tracks the issue. The push has been aided by the expanded control of state governments by Republicans, who now hold a majority of governerships and legislatures and who enjoy veto-proof majorities in twice as many states as Democrats (Eilperin, 7/5).

The Hill: Perry Vows Texas Will Pass Abortion Bill
Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) on Sunday promised his state will push through a law restricting abortion rights, which has gained national attention, within the next 10 days. "We have a special session with some important issues in front of us. We're going to pass some restrictions on abortion in Texas so that Texas is a place where we defend life. That's the powerful message here, that's what we're focused on," Perry said on Fox News Sunday (Joseph, 7/7).

Politico: 'Turn Texas Blue' Hits Headwinds With Abortion
Democrats are gearing up to spend millions of dollars to "turn Texas blue" by bringing in a new generation of Latino voters. So when an abortion fight flared in Austin this summer, it seemed the stars had aligned -; liberals had a hot-button cause to galvanize new supporters who just might stick around for the long haul. There's just one problem: Latinos as a group oppose abortion more strongly than most other voting groups (Nather, 7/8).

North Carolina Health News: NC Senators Pass Sweeping Abortion Restrictions
On a party-line vote, state senators passed a bill to enact a number of sweeping changes to North Carolina's abortion regulations that could have the effect of closing down many of the state's 36 abortion providers. The Family, Faith and Freedom Act, introduced late Tuesday and tentatively passed Tuesday evening, would place tighter regulations on clinics, restrict many health plans from offering coverage for the procedure, ban sex-selective abortions and require doctors to be present during all phases of an abortion, among other provisions (Hoban, 7/4).