Fetus protection legislation gets first hearing

RALEIGH, NC (AP) — North Carolina lawmakers who want to punish people who harm a fetus at any stage of development want to make clear that ignorance of a woman’s pregnancy is no excuse.

A House judiciary committee heard from the public Wednesday about a measure to allow a person charged with murder, manslaughter, or assault against a woman to face the same charge against the fetus.

Republican sponsors changed the bill to make clear that prosecutors don’t have to prove the attacker intended to hurt the fetus or knew a woman was pregnant.

The measure would make it a felony for an attacker to kill or injure a fetus at any stage of development. Nearly two dozen other states punish people who harm a developing fetus at any time.

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