North Carolina Legislature Considers Amendment Allowing Use of Deadly Force To Stop an Abortion

Lawmakers in North Carolina are considering sending an amendment to the ballot in November that would criminalize abortion and state that people could use deadly force to stop someone from terminating a pregnancy. House Bill 1232, if passed, would create a constitutional amendment that says life begins at the moment of fertilization. It would also classify abortion as first-degree murder.The bill states, “Any person who willfully seeks to destroy the life of another person, by any means, at any stage of life, or succeeds in doing so, shall be held accountable for attempted murder or for first degree murder, respectively.”It adds, “Any person has the right to defend his or her own life or the life of another person, even by the use of deadly force if necessary.”The bill’s main sponsor, Keith Kidwell, says the proposal — which passed its first reading and has been sent to the House of Representatives’ Rules, Calendar, and Operations Committee — is necessary to protect unborn life. As details of the legislation spread on social media, users expressed fear that the bill could pass and affect more than just abortion. A labor and delivery nurse, Jen Hamilton, posted a video on Instagram that said HB1232 would legalize killing a woman for using a contraceptive.“We can’t feed kids in school, and we won’t give healthcare to people, but we will make it legal to murder women who use birth control,” Ms. Hamilton said. A Democratic state representative, Julie von Haefen, posted a statement on Facebook, urging people to “calm down.” She noted that Mr. Kidwell has introduced similar bills in previous years, but they have not been passed, and suggested that because he lost his primary earlier this year, “He may have decided to make this year’s bill more salacious and scary than usual.”Meanwhile, a Republican lawmaker who had sponsored the bill, Ben Moss, posted on X that after “discussion and feedback from constituents and members of the community,” he removed himself as a sponsor.“I remain firmly pro-life and strongly believe in protecting innocent human life,” he said. “That conviction has not changed. However, I also believe that legislation must be written with absolute clarity so that its intent cannot be misunderstood or broadly misinterpreted in ways that create fear and confusion.”He said the intent of the bill was to “affirm the value and dignity of unborn life — not to suggest that women should face capital punishment or to create uncertainty surrounding difficult medical situations.” But he said “portions” of the legislation have “led to significant misunderstandings,” and it needs “additional work” and “clarification.”A political science professor at Meredith College, David McLennan, told NC Newsline that if the measure were put on the ballot, it could help boost Republicans’ enthusiasm to vote. But he said it could also drive Democratic turnout. The legislation would have to be advanced by the legislature for it to be put on the ballot. A majority of voters would have to approve it for it to become part of the state’s constitution.

North Carolina Legislature Considers Amendment Allowing Use of Deadly Force To Stop an Abortion

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