Pro-life laws blocked in North Carolina, passed in Utah

A federal judge has overruled a North Carolina law protecting unborn babies from abortion starting at the 20th week of pregnancy. U.S. District Judge William Osteen’s ruling Monday gives state legislators 60 days to amend the law or appeal his ruling. The measure, passed in 2016, included exceptions for mothers who faced a risk of death or serious and irreversible harm if the pregnancy continued.

Utah’s governor signed a pro-life bill late Monday that is almost certain to face a legal challenge of its own. The measure, signed by Republican Gov. Gary Herbert, would safeguard babies from abortion after 18 weeks of gestation. Exceptions are allowed in cases of rape, fatal infant deformity, or serious detriment to the mother’s health. Herbert has said he is not worried about the potential cost defending the law in court, estimated at about $2 million if the state loses.