Republicans, Democrats say abortion bill is wrong

NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WWAY)– Some state representatives say the governor’s decision to sign a new abortion bill was wrong.

“It’s another very, very bad bill for women’s health,” Democratic Representative Susi Hamilton said.

Hamilton is speaking out against Governor Pat McCrory’s decision to sign this abortion bill.

“We have no business participating in that conversation,” Hamilton said. “This should be between a woman and her doctor.”

The bill extends the waiting period for an abortion from 24 to 72 hours.

“To script a doctor and to tell a doctor what he or she can and cannot say to a patient is a very dangerous proposition,” Hamilton said.

By signing that bill Hamilton says McCrory broke a promise.

“He made a promise to the electorate during his campaign that he would do nothing further to restrict access to women’s health in the state of North Carolina, that he would veto anything that came through,” Hamilton said,

McCrory says the bill does not restrict access.

“I think previously in that bill, on two or three different occasions, there were things added to the bill that I thought did restrict further access, in fact, could have been legally challenged,” McCrory said. “I worked hard to remove those parts of those bills.”

We reached out to several state Republicans representing our area. We only got one response. Senator Bill Rabon says he also voted against this bill.

“I routinely don’t believe the legislature has a lot of place to tell folks of any specific gender how they should handle their lives and try to assist them in making decisions that are gut wrenching,” Rabon said.

While McCrory says this new bill does not restrict access, Hamilton says she thinks it will be challenged in the Supreme Court.