ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. — North Carolina's legislature voted to override Gov. Roy Cooper's veto on a bill that restricts elective abortions in the state to 12 weeks.
The move changes the landscape of reproductive rights in the region, with several residents in North Carolina both praising and denouncing the decision.
"It's a woman's choice, that is where it begins and ends," said one woman.
From disbelief to outrage, some women in North Carolina said the 12-week ban is a disappointment to their state.
However, others said the measure did not go far enough.
"Abortion is murder, abortion is killing no matter the week," said another resident.
North Carolina lawmakers pushed the bill known as "The Care for Women, Children, and Families Act," in less than two days before it arrived on Gov. Cooper's desk. He vetoed the bill on Saturday.
However, a supermajority in both the State's House and Senate overruled the governor's veto, and the law will go into effect on July 1.
A key vote in pushing the law forward is Democrat-turned-Republican Rep. Tricia Cotham. Cotham, once a staunch supporter of abortion rights, voted alongside Republicans to overcome the governor's veto.
It's a vote that was not ignored by North Carolina's voters.
"It makes her look ridiculous," said one North Carolina resident. "She flips to say I no longer believe in this after saying the other for literally years."
Proponents of the new law point out several resources added that have the intention of supporting new mothers and families. There is increased funding for foster and childcare, as well as increased paid parental leave.
The new law also requires women to view an ultrasound before they can get an abortion, and physicians can be prosecuted if they perform an elective abortion beyond 12 weeks.