North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper (D.) vetoed a twelve-week abortion ban Saturday, setting up an override showdown in a legislature where Republicans recently secured a supermajority.
Cooper had until Sunday to act on the bill, which was passed ten days ago. “Standing in the way of progress right now is this Republican supermajority legislature that only took 48 hours to turn the clock back 50 years on women’s health,” explained Cooper as he vetoed the bill on the very podium from which he was speaking. “If just one Republican in either the house or the senate keeps a campaign promise to protect women’s reproductive health, we can stop this ban.”
Senate Bill 20 was pitched as a compromise by Republicans who have been negotiating the details of the abortion limit for months. The limit is moved from the present 20-week mark to the 12th week. Between the 12th and 20th weeks, women can still obtain an abortion in the case of rape or incest. There is also an exception for “life-limiting” fetal anomalies up to the 24th week.
The abortion limit is less restrictive than others that have been passed recently. In mid-April, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a six-week abortion limit into law. Later in the month, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum signed into law a near-total abortion ban.
Republicans decried Cooper’s move and promised prompt action.
“Gov. Cooper has spent the last week actively feeding the public lies about Senate Bill 20 and bullying members of the General Assembly,” explained Senate Leader Phil Berger in a statement. “He has been doing everything he can, including wasting taxpayer money on poorly attended events, to avoid talking about his own extreme views on abortion. I look forward to promptly overriding his veto.”
Cooper has been attempting to pressure four GOP legislators to vote against the override.
We only need one Republican in either the House or Senate to help sustain the veto of this dangerous abortion ban. Ted Davis, Michael Lee, John Bradford and Tricia Cotham promised to protect women’s reproductive freedom. There’s still time for them to keep their promises. – RC
— Governor Roy Cooper (@NC_Governor) May 5, 2023
One of them is Representative Tricia Cotham, who made national news for switching to the Republican Party from the Democratic, giving the GOP a house supermajority if all legislators are present and voting.
The override vote could come as soon as next week.