Abortion Bills Pass | Video

Jessica Roose | 3/22/2013

It`s now up to the Governor to decide whether to sign several abortion-related bills after the House passed three more abortion bills this afternoon.

They spent nearly two hours discussing the four remaining abortion bills. In the end, they voted to send three more to the Governor for consideration.

No matter what side of the issue you`re on, almost everyone has a story to share. For the Majority Leader, his has to do with his son.

"He was born to a 16-year old female, young North Dakota lady from Dickinson and a 19 year old father. His mother at that point in time in 1975 could have had him aborted. Thank God they didn`t," said Representative Al Carlson (R) from Fargo.

Other lawmakers continued to stress that they believe it isn`t a decision for the state to make.

"As a young woman who has not yet had the privilege of becoming a mother, I want to know that when I make a decision to do so, any already difficult decision that I must face with my physicians and my family will not be complicated by legal matters, by an overreach of state government," said Representative Kylie Oversen (D) from Grand Forks.

Despite objections from Overson and others, the Legislature sent three more abortion bills to the Governor`s desk.

One requires that any doctor performing an abortion, have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital.

"A great number of surgical procedures are performed outside of the hospital. I, myself, have preformed hundreds and hundreds of these procedures and I am not required to have hospital privileges. So this will be a new arena for the government in regulating physicians," said Representative Rick Becker (R) from Bismarck.

Supporters say the requirement will provide more safety to women who are having an abortion.

Another bill that passed with 60 votes bans abortions after 20 weeks, except in the case of a medical emergency.

They also passed a bill would put the issue of protecting life at every stage of development, on the ballot in 2014.

Once the Governor receives the bills, he has three legislative days to make a decision. So, we could expect that sometime next week.

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