North Dakota governor approves 6-week abortion ban, most restrictive in country

[Jazzy]

Minutes after Republican Gov. Jack Dalrymple signed three anti-abortion measures -- one banning them when a heartbeat can be detected, which is as early as six weeks into a pregnancy -- unsolicited donations began pouring into the state's lone abortion clinic to help opponents prove the new laws are unconstitutional.



Although the likelihood of this measure surviving a court challenge remains in question, this bill is nevertheless a legitimate attempt by a state legislature to discover the boundaries of Roe v. Wade, Dalrymple said in a statement, referring to the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that legalized abortion up to until a fetus is considered viable -- usually at 22 to 24 weeks.



He also signed into law measures that would makes North Dakota the first state to ban abortions based on genetic defects such as Down syndrome and require a doctor who performs abortions to be a physician with hospital-admitting privileges.



The signed measures, which take effect Aug. 1, are fueled in part by an attempt to close the Red River Women's Clinic in Fargo -- the state's only abortion clinic.



North Dakota's legislation doesn't specify how a fetal heartbeat would be detected.



Doctors performing an abortion after a heartbeat is detected could face a felony charge punishable by up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine. Women having an abortion would not face charges.

Source



In your opinion, are these new laws unconstitutional or not?

 

[Evil Eye]

I wish people would stop saying that. Laws are not any better or worse based on how constitutional they are. It's fine as a last resort, but honestly, can't laws just be judged on their own merit and the general consensus of the populace?

Sure it's important, but it's such a whiny retort <.<

My grumbling aside, this doesn't sound right. (Right being what I was leading up to. An unjust law is no law at all.)