West Virginia Enacts Near-Total Ban On Abortions

Gov. Jim Justice (R) of West Virginia has signed into law a near-total ban on abortions. West Virginia is now the second state to enact a law prohibiting the procedure since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June. https://twitter.com/CBSNews/status/1570853290971201536 From CBS News:

The ban has exemptions for medical emergencies and for rape and incest victims until eight weeks of pregnancy for adults and 14 weeks for children.

Victims must report their assault to law enforcement 48 hours before the procedure. Minors can report to the police or a doctor, who then must tell police.

The bill requires abortions to be performed by a physician at a hospital — a provision that at least two Republican lawmakers have said was intended to shut down abortions at the Women’s Health Center, which has provided the procedure since 1976 and was the state’s sole abortion clinic.

Providers who perform illegal abortions can face up to 10 years in prison.

The new law in West Virginia also prohibits the use of telemedicine to prescribe medications to induce abortion. It goes into effect immediately except for the criminal penalties which begin in 90 days. Indiana passed its own abortion ban in August and it went into effect on Thursday. https://twitter.com/VP/status/1570916924594192384 https://twitter.com/washingtonpost/status/1570222625124765701