NORTH CAROLINA, USA — North Carolina's laws related to abortion access could be drastically different in the coming days.
The state's House and Senate are poised to pass a bill that would cut the window where a woman could get an abortion by almost half.
It is called "The Care for Women, Children and Families Act." If passed it would cut abortion access from 20 weeks to 12 weeks.
The bill offers limited exceptions including a 20-week cutoff for victims of rape or incest, a 24-week cutoff for fetal abnormalities and no limit on abortions to save the life of the mother.
Dr. Bill Pincus with North Carolina Right to Life said the bill is a step in the right direction.
"We never talk about the center of all of this which is the baby," said Pincus. "This is a completely different individual, separate from it's mother and father, that should enjoy the rights and privileges of life."
The new bill would also restrict not only when a woman could get an abortion, but also where. If passed, the bill adds new mandatory policies like an in-person meeting with a doctor, and requires a woman to look at the ultrasound before having an abortion.
Women who seek an abortion beyond the 12 weeks would not be punished, but any physicians who do the procedure could face punishment, or even lose their license.
People against the bill said it unnecessarily restricts women's access to healthcare.
"These laws are not medically necessary for any reason, they are politically motivated, " said Ammie Pascua with Hampton Roads Reproductive Justice League. "No matter what the reason is, abortion is a human right and it should be protected as an essential portion of health care."
Other advocates worry that the bill could also drive women to go even further away to get the healthcare they need. Since the fall of Roe v. Wade, North Carolina saw a 37% increase in abortions as women came from out of state.
Virginia allows abortions up to 26 weeks. The state could become a refuge for women seeking an abortion.
"We've already seen a dramatic influx of people," said Breanna Diaz, Virginia's American Civil Liberties. "North Carolina could add that influx we see for people coming here to get abortion care."
Lawmakers in the North Carolina Senate are expected to give a final vote on the bill on Thursday, May 4th.