Local officials eye NC abortion bill

As N.C. General Assembly bills seek to put new restrictions on North Carolina abortion clinics, some in Chapel Hill are afraid of the consequences new abortion regulations might have on local women.

Though Gov. Pat McCrory said Wednesday he would veto one of the bills as is, the current version would require clinic doctors to have hospital admitting privileges. Many clinics in the area, including Chapel Hill’s Planned Parenthood branch, are likely to be affected.

The Chapel Hill Planned Parenthood is one of four clinics out of the group’s nine N.C. branches that offer abortion services.

Representatives from several Chapel Hill abortion providers —including the Chapel Hill Planned Parenthood, Eastowne OB-GYN and the UNC Women’s Options Center — declined to comment on the bill.

Town government has historically supported abortion rights. In January, the Chapel Hill Town Council unanimously approved a resolution to oppose the dissemination of inaccurate information by anti-abortion crisis pregnancy centers.

Chapel Hill Mayor Mark Kleinschmidt said he thinks the proposed restrictions will limit women’s ability to make health decisions.

“It really has the prospect of limiting all women,” he said. “It makes it much more difficult to exercise a woman’s constitutional right to make decisions about reproduction.”

Kleinschmidt said the bill has the potential to affect countless women in the area.

“It is mind-blowing when you think about what a step back this is and what this bill would be and how many lives are going to be affected by it,” he said.

Chapel Hill Town Council member Lee Storrow said if the bill goes into effect, the closest clinic with the legal ability to perform abortions would be in Asheville.

“It is deeply troubling and deeply concerning that this medical procedure could be singled out,” Storrow said.

Storrow said he had been reaching out to the state legislature.

Alison Kiser, the director of public affairs for Planned Parenthood in Central North Carolina, said her group was working against the bill.

“In the legislative building — and outside of it — we have seen a lot of support,” she said.

Kiser estimated many clinics will have to close — some temporarily and others permanently — based on what she’s observed in other states that have seen similar restrictions. She said Planned Parenthood was intent upon keeping its branches open.

Kleinschmidt said he is especially worried about how the bill might affect students and their ability to complete their education and plan families with their partners.

“Agencies that provide the full array for reproductive health services are critically important to young women in particular,” he said.

“That affects UNC women in greater numbers than any other group of (local) women.”

Contact the desk editor at city@dailytarheel.com.