LARRY O’DELL
Associated Press
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — North Carolina’s solicitor general has urged a federal appeals court to revive a state law that would require abortion providers to show and describe an ultrasound of the fetus to the pregnant woman.
John Maddrey told a three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond that the provision adds “relevant, truthful, real-time information” to North Carolina’s informed consent law. The state is appealing a judge’s ruling that the provision violates abortion providers’ free-speech rights.
A lawyer for health care providers who challenged the law said at Wednesday’s hearing that there’s nothing wrong with offering the information. But she said forcing doctors to follow the script even if the pregnant woman doesn’t want to hear it is “uniquely coercive.”
A ruling is expected in a few weeks.
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