National Organization for Women, Asheville, to Join Protest of N.C.G.A. House Bill 465 at Pack Square Today

Government scrutiny of women’s private medical decisions lies in the balance if this anti-abortion measure is enacted, along with tripling the forced waiting periods to obtain a legal, safe abortion in the state

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – The National Organization for Women, Asheville Chapter, stands in solidarity with other women’s groups protesting North Carolina General Assembly House Bill 465. A protest is slated for 5:30 p.m., today, Monday, May 4, at Pack Square Park Amphitheater, 60 Court Plaza.  

H.B. 465 as it currently stands triples the forced waiting period to obtain a legal abortion to three full days – up from the 24 hour waiting period enacted in 2011. Additionally, the measure would require doctors to submit a woman’s confidential medical records to the state Department of Health and Human Services for review.

“Women have the right to safe and legal abortion care without discriminatory waiting periods. This level of government interference and scrutiny of a woman’s private medical decisions is untenable,” says Sherri McLendon, president of Asheville NOW.

“House Bill 465 takes what is ultimately a private matter between a woman and her doctor, and turns it into a matter of public record,” she says.

North Carolina NOW outlines significant, additional restrictions to safe women’s reproductive health care which would go into effect should the proposed legislation become law:

• Restricts what counts as a true medical emergency in order to narrow the exception to the state’s 20-week abortion ban
•   Requires the physician “causing miscarriage or abortion after the 18^th week” to provide a woman’s private medical information to DHHS, including the gestational age of the fetus and an ultrasound with its measurements;
• After the 20^th week, requires the physician to submit to DHHS the findings and analysis of a woman’s private medical records determining when a pregnancy threatens the life or gravely impairs the health of the woman.
•  Adds costly, time-consuming reporting requirements to physicians and their staff.
•  Interferes with women who miscarry by submitting them to the same treatment as a woman who chooses to have an abortion. 

Issued by the  Asheville Chapter of the National Organization for Women, http://www.ashevillenow.blogspot.com. 

Version 2 of HB465, is at http://www.ncleg.net/Sessions/2015/Bills/House/PDF/H465v2.pdf.  The latest version is at www.ncleg.net, simply type HB465 as the bill for 2015/2016 in the upper right corner. 

Read more about the bill and about what happened in the House meeting at  https://northcarolinanow.wordpress.com/2015/04/24/interfering-condescending-and-invasive-bill-hb465/ .

Read Vicki Boyer's Letter to the Editor at www.newsobserver.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/article20044965.html