Signed by Governor Patrick McCrory

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that amends regulations regarding abortions.

Highlights:

• Requires a “qualified physician” to wait 72 hours after an individual’s first appointment to administer an abortion, except in the case of medical emergency, effective October 1, 2015 (Sec. 7).
• Defines “qualified physician” as a physician certified in obstetrics or gynecology and who possesses “sufficient training” in abortion care, or a physician who performs an abortion in a medical emergency (Sec. 7). 
• Requires a physician who administers an abortion or procures a miscarriage after the 16th week of pregnancy to submit records of the method used to determine the gestational age of the fetus, the measurements of the fetus, and a copy of an ultrasound image to the Department of Health and Human Services, effective January 1, 2016 (Sec. 7).
• Requires a physician who administers an abortion or procures a miscarriage after the 20th week of pregnancy to include the findings and analysis that allowed the physician to determine a medical emergency in the information submitted to the department, effective January 1, 2016 (Sec. 7).
• Amends the definition of “statutory rape” to include intercourse or a sexual act with an individual who is 15 years old or younger, effective immediately (Sec. 1). 
• Authorizes an individual to make child support payments by electronic transmission if it is in compliance with the Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement procedures, effective immediately (Sec. 2).
• Establishes the Maternal Mortality Committee to conduct multidisciplinary maternal death reviews and develop recommendations for the prevention of future maternal deaths, effective immediately (Sec. 6).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that amends regulations regarding abortions.

Highlights:

• Requires a “qualified physician” to wait 72 hours after an individual’s first appointment to administer an abortion, except in the case of medical emergency, effective October 1, 2015 (Sec. 7).
• Defines “qualified physician” as a physician certified in obstetrics or gynecology and who possesses “sufficient training” in abortion care, or a physician who performs an abortion in a medical emergency (Sec. 7). 
• Requires a physician who administers an abortion or procures a miscarriage after the 16th week of pregnancy to submit records of the method used to determine the gestational age of the fetus, the measurements of the fetus, and a copy of an ultrasound image to the Department of Health and Human Services, effective January 1, 2016 (Sec. 7).
• Requires a physician who administers an abortion or procures a miscarriage after the 20th week of pregnancy to include the findings and analysis that allowed the physician to determine a medical emergency in the information submitted to the department, effective January 1, 2016 (Sec. 7).
• Amends the definition of “statutory rape” to include intercourse or a sexual act with an individual who is 15 years old or younger, effective immediately (Sec. 1). 
• Authorizes an individual to make child support payments by electronic transmission if it is in compliance with the Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement procedures, effective immediately (Sec. 2).
• Establishes the Maternal Mortality Committee to conduct multidisciplinary maternal death reviews and develop recommendations for the prevention of future maternal deaths, effective immediately (Sec. 6).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that increases the waiting period prior to an abortion from 24 to 72 hours.

Highlights:

• Extends the waiting period from 24 hours to 72 hours for a woman to have an abortion after receiving consultation from a physician, effective October 1, 2015 (Sec. 2).

• Requires a physician who advises, procures, or causes a miscarriage or abortion after the eighteenth week of a woman’s pregnancy to provide the following information to the Department of Health and Human Services, effective January 1, 2016 (Sec. 1):
• The method used by the physician to determine the gestational age of the fetus at the time of the procedure;
• The results of methodology including measurements of the fetus; and
• An ultrasound image of the fetus that depicts the measurements.

• Requires a physician who procures or causes a miscarriage or abortion after the twentieth week of a woman’s pregnancy to provide the analysis on which the physician determined that continuation of the pregnancy would threaten the life or gravely impair the health of the woman to the Department, effective January 1, 2016 (Sec. 1).

Full Bill Text