The American Civil Liberties Union and four other groups sued to
challenge a new North Carolina law requiring abortion providers to
display and describe ultrasound images of a fetus. The suit, filed in
federal court today, alleges that the statute violates the
constitutional rights of women and healthcare providers and intrudes on
women’s private lives. The statute, passed by the Republican-controlled
state legislature in July over the veto of Democratic Gov. Bev Perdue,
also requires a 24-hour waiting period for women seeking an abortion.
The suit seeks an injunction to block the law, which is set to take
effect Oct. 26. Legal challenges have temporarily blocked similar laws
in Texas and Oklahoma. At least 20 states have passed laws that require
ultrasounds for women seeking abortions, and North Carolina is the third
state to require a provider to place ultrasound images in a woman’s
line of sight and to describe them in detail.
Source: Los Angeles Times