Tar Heel State Republicans are introducing a heartbeat bill in their state that would protect most unborn children. Republican state representatives introduced House Bill 844, called the “Finding Grace Family Bill,” in the North Carolina House of Representatives last week. Sponsored by state Reps. Brian Echevarria (R), Diane Wheatley (R), and Dennis Riddell (R), the legislation would protect unborn babies after the sixth week of pregnancy. The bill would rewrite abortion law in North Carolina to read, “It shall be unlawful after the sixth week of a woman’s pregnancy to procure or cause a miscarriage or abortion in the State of North Carolina.”

The policy would also require North Carolina’s Department of Health and Human Services to provide information on alternatives to abortion and to recommend adoption, including by publicly listing adoption agencies and services in the state and providing a list of benefits associated with adoption. Additionally, sex education courses in public schools will be amended to recommend adoption in the case of teenage pregnancies.

In comments to The Washington Stand, Mary Szoch, director of the Center for Human Dignity at Family Research Council, said, “It’s beautiful to see that there is a push in North Carolina to get closer to the day when every unborn life is protected. An unborn baby girl at six weeks is the same baby she is at conception and the same baby she is at birth.” She added, “We look forward to the day when every person is protected at every stage of life.”

“In addition to protecting unborn babies after six weeks, Republicans of North Carolina have added provisions to ensure that pregnant women know of all the resources available to them — resources available if they choose to parent and resources available if they choose to make an adoption plan for their baby,” Szoch continued. “Praise God for the good work that is happening in North Carolina to bring about a culture of life!”

The North Carolina Values Coalition also praised the legislation, saying, “Thanks to this bill, North Carolina legislators now have the chance to save tens of thousands of lives in our state every year.” The organization lamented that North Carolina has become “an abortion destination state,” since most neighboring states have enacted or enforced pro-life legislation following the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.

“This bill is necessary for saving the lives of more unborn babies, because 92% of abortions in North Carolina take place before 12 weeks,” said N.C. Values Coalition Executive Director Tami Fitzgerald. She added, “Even more compelling, our laws are less restrictive than neighboring states, causing women to pour into North Carolina to obtain abortions and making it an abortion destination state. This needs to stop.” Fitzgerald continued, “A heartbeat is the indicator of life, both at the beginning and at the end of life. Every beating heart deserves protection, because life is a human right.”