North Dakota is one step closer to adopting the most restrictive anti-abortion law in the nation.
On Friday, the Rebulican-controlled state Senate overwhelmingly approved two strict abortion bills. One would ban women from receiving an abortion as early as six weeks into a pregnancy while the other measure seeks to prohibit women from aborting their pregnancy if a fetus has a genetic defect like Down syndrome.
Supporters want to challenge the Supreme Court's 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling which legalized abortion up until 22 to 24 weeks.
"It's a good day for babies," said Rep. Bette Grande, a Republican who introduced both bills.
Gov. Jack Dalrymple hasn't indicated whether he would veto the measures, but the bills have enough support in each chamber for the Legislature to override him.
The American Civil Liberties Union called the measures "extreme," adding that it would make North Dakota "the first state in the nation to ban most abortions."
"In America, no woman, no matter where she lives, should be denied the ability to make this deeply personal decision," ACLU executive director Anthony Romero said in a statement.
Though the bill's measure doesn't specify how a fetal heartbeat would be detected, doctors performing an abortion after a heartbeat is detected could face a felony charge with up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine. Women having an abortion would not be criminalized.
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