Tougher abortion laws unlikely

The Supreme Court's ruling this week on certain late-term abortions is seen as an opening for more restrictions on all abortions, but advocates on both sides of the issue in North Carolina say the current legislature is unlikely to adopt tougher laws.

House Minority Leader Paul Stam, a Republican from Apex and an abortion opponent, said he's encouraged by the court's decision, but he said the state is unlikely to add further restrictions.

Stam said a dozen bills have been filed in the state legislature this session seeking tougher laws against the procedure, but he sees little chance they'll be debated.

"No pro-life legislation has ever even been brought up in committee for the last eight years," Stam said. "There needs to be a change in the legislature. For other reasons, we have an excellent opportunity to change the majority in the [legislature] in 2008."

Abortion-rights advocates said the ruling erodes women's rights to abortion, and they worry the climate in the state could change.

"The court did two things that we're going to see in the future -- removing the exception made to protect a woman's health and welcoming states to pass additional restrictions," said Paige Johnson, vice president of public affairs and communications for Planned Parenthood of Central North Carolina.

"The court said there's a strong state interest in protection of fetal life, in contrast to protecting women's health," Johnson added. "We'll most likely see additional legislation introduced that would impose more restrictions."

Melissa Reed, executive director of NARAL Pro-choice North Carolina, said the immediate impact will be that physicians in the state will no longer be able to perform the late-term procedure even if they think it's in the woman's best interest.

"It emboldens the anti-choice movement to push for further restrictions on abortion because they no longer have to take into account the health and well-being of the woman," she said. "Those bills are likely to be introduced. With the current legislature, they're not likely to pass. But it behooves everyone to remember how important elections are."