New Bill Would Introduce an Abortion Committee in North Dakota

BISMARCK, N.D. (KVRR) — North Dakota law requires that physicians must give a woman a chance to contact a clinic if she would like an abortion but they cannot determine whether or not to proceed with one.

While abortion is prohibited within the state, they can be conducted to save a person’s life, perserve their health, or if within 6 weeks by the result of a rape.

Representative Eric Murphy from Grand Forks is sponsoring a bill that would assist women during their pregnancy in the 16 to 26 week period.

The bill would create a team of three board certified health professionals to determine case by case how to help the mother.

The decision for each case would need to be completed within five days. If there were any medical emergencies, they would not need to be read by the team but handled by their doctor.

“So the major emphasis for me is truly helping those individuals, those couples who have to make very hard decisions. And currently, our law does not allow for that,” said Rep. Eric Murphy, (R) Grand Forks.

Human Services committee in the House will hold the first hearings on the bill.