On May 16, North Carolina's GOP-led General Assembly moved to ban most abortions after 12 weeks, overriding a veto from Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper.
The state House voted 72-48, along party lines, hours after the state Senate voted 30-20 to do the same, CNN noted. A three-fifths vote in both chambers, where Republicans hold supermajorities, was needed to override the governor's previous rejection of the measure.
Later, Cooper tweeted, "North Carolinians now understand that Republicans are unified in their assault on women's reproductive freedom and we are energized to fight back on this and other critical issues."
—Meanwhile, on that same day, Republican Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte signed a series of bills into law that will effectively ban abortions in the state after 15 weeks of pregnancy, according to The Hill.
House Bill 544, sponsored by Rep. Jane Gillette, R-Bozeman, establishes requirements for the Department of Health and Human Services (DPHHS) to ensure abortions covered by Medicaid are medically necessary. House Bill 862—sponsored by Rep. Mike Hopkins, R-Missoula—bans the use of taxpayer dollars to fund abortions except to save the life of a woman or in cases of incest or rape.
The governor also signed House Bill 721, sponsored by Speaker Matt Regier, R-Kalispell, restricting abortion except for during a medical emergency in which the child would not survive outside of the womb. Lastly, the governor signed House Bill 937—sponsored by Rep. Lola Sheldon-Galloway, R-Great Falls—to provide for licensure and appropriate oversight of abortion clinics by DPHHS.
The full release detailing Gianforte's actions is at https://news.mt.gov/Governors-Office/Governor_Gianforte_Strengthens_Montana_Law_To_Protect_Life.
—D.C.'s Democratic Party establishment came out on May 16 to honor Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-California) at the 2023 We Are EMILY National Gala, applauding her tenure as speaker and galvanizing support for abortion as a key issue in the upcoming elections, The Hill reported.
EMILY's List—the abortion-rights PAC aimed at getting Democratic female candidates into office—honored Pelosi in recognition of the progressive legislation that passed Congress in her time as the first female speaker of the House.
Among those who came out to honor Pelosi were President Biden (a surprise guest), Vice President Kamala Harris, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York) and House Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-Massachusetts).
