A Republican-backed bill introduced this week that would ban abortion at any stage of pregnancy in North Carolina will not move forward, according to North Carolina House Speaker Destin Hall.
“I don’t think there’s any real desire in our caucus to hear that particular bill, so it’s not going to be heard in committee,” Hall told reporters after Tuesday’s House voting session.
The bill, introduced on Monday by Rep. Keith Kidwell and co-sponsored by two other House Republicans, aims to outlaw abortion from the moment of conception. It includes no exceptions except to save the mother’s life. Violating this law would carry felony charges and a civil penalty of $100,000.
Democrats immediately criticized the proposal and vowed to fight against it vigorously. Named the “Human Life Protection Act of 2025,” the bill mirrors legislation Kidwell proposed in 2023 that also failed to gain traction.
That effort ultimately led to a 2023 law banning most abortions after 12 weeks, with exceptions allowing for abortions up to 20 weeks in cases of rape and incest, up to 24 weeks for fetal abnormalities, and at any point if a doctor determines it is a medical emergency.
Hall stated on Tuesday that he doesn’t expect any significant changes to that law during this session.
Senate leader Phil Berger echoed Hall’s position, mentioning that he hadn’t reviewed Kidwell’s bill and did not foresee changes to the current 12-week law.