North Dakota Governor Signs Bill Banning All Abortions at Six Weeks

Since the US Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to have an abortion under the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling last year, Republican-led states have been handing down some of the strictest abortion bans in history.

North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum signed legislation on Monday banning abortion at six weeks of pregnancy, marking one of the strictest laws in the US.

The legislation will effectively ban rape victims and victims of incest from being able to obtain an abortion. Most women, according to the American Pregnancy Association, find out they are pregnant four to seven weeks following conception.

“This bill clarifies and refines existing state law... and reaffirms North Dakota as a pro-life state,” Burgum said in a statement.

Democratic Representative Gretchen Dobervich had attempted to amend the bill from six week to 12 weeks for women who have been the victim of sexual violence, however, the state House panel had rejected the move.

The bill cleared the lower chamber with a 76-14 vote; the Senate earlier approved of the bill 42-5. The legislation is expected to take effect immediately, but according to US media it is on hold while it waits for a ruling from the state’s Supreme Court.

Following the reversal of Roe v. Wade, bans on abortions at all stages of pregnancy are in place in 13 US states, and on hold in four others due to court injunctions. Meanwhile, Democratic states have moved to strengthen access to abortion in their states.

“North Dakota has always been pro-life and believed in valuing the moms and children both,” state Senator Janne Myrdal, the lead sponsor of the measure, told US media after Burgum signed the bill. “We’re pretty happy and grateful that the governor stands with that value.”

Earlier this month, North Dakota voted to raise their own meal reimbursements from $35 per day to $45 per day, despite voting down a bill which would have provided free school lunches for children whose families are at 200% the federal poverty level (which equates to an income of $49,720 for a family of three).

“Yes I can understand kids going hungry, but is that really the problem of the school district, is that the problem of the state of North Dakota? It’s really the problem of parents being negligent with their kids,” Senator Mike Wobbema said during the vote in late March.

Republicans in North Dakota have killed a bill to provide free school lunch to kids in low-income families.

“I can understand kids going hungry, but is that really the problem of the school district? Is that the problem of the state of North Dakota?" said Sen. Mike Wobbema. pic.twitter.com/cNIlwVizms

— More Perfect Union (@MorePerfectUS) March 30, 2023

Wobbema is one of the senators who voted in favor of boosting daily meal reimbursements for himself and his colleagues.

On Friday, Burgum also signed a law that will restrict health care for transgender people in the state, and make it a crime to give a person younger than the age of 18 gender-affirming medical treatments.