North Dakota governor signs six-week abortion ban

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum (R) signed a bill Monday that would ban abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, marking one of the strictest abortion restrictions in the country.

“This bill clarifies and refines existing state law … and reaffirms North Dakota as a pro-life state,” Burgum said in a statement, reported by the Associated Press.

The law does not provide exceptions in the case of rape or incest. It was overwhelmingly approved in the state legislature, with the House passing it 76-14 and the Senate approving it 42-5.

“North Dakota has always been pro-life and believed in valuing the moms and children both,” state Sen. Janne Myrdal, the lead sponsor of the measure, told The Associated Press after Burgum signed the bill. “We’re pretty happy and grateful that the governor stands with that value.”

The bill is written to take effect upon being signed, but the state’s preexisting abortion ban is on hold pending a ruling from the North Dakota Supreme Court, according to the Associated Press.

The North Dakota law comes just nearly two weeks after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) signed a bill banning abortion after six weeks of pregnancy. DeSantis signed a 15-week ban last year on, but has faced legal challenges in the state’s Supreme Court. The new six-week ban would be contingent on how the court rules on the previous ban matter.

Burgum also signed a bill banning gender-affirming care for minors in the state last week, which also creates a penalty up to 10 years in prison for providers who perform reassignment surgery on minors.

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