May 15, 2013
by ND Catholic Conference
The Center for Reproductive Rights announced today that it has filed a motion in the East Central District Court on behalf of the Red River Women's Clinic to block implementation of SB 2305, which requires that abortionists have local hospital admitting privileges. The center also stated its intention to block the state's prenatal anti-discrimination law.
North Dakota Catholic Conference Executive Director Christopher Dodson issued this statement in response:
It is shocking that only days after a Pennsylvania jury found abortionist Kermit Gosnell guilty of 237 counts of flaunting laws to protect women's and children's health, the Red River Women's Clinic seeks to block a law enacted to prevent horrors like those committed by Gosnell.
The North Dakota legislature, taking into account the high volume of abortions conducted by itinerant physicians at the clinic, reasonably concluded that requiring physician privileges would better protect the health and safety of women seeking abortions. The clinic's actions reveal a sad disregard for women's health.
The Center for Reproductive Rights also announced that it will soon file a lawsuit challenging North Dakota's new prenatal anti-discrimination law. That law, which passed with overwhelming bipartisan support in the state legislature, prohibits abortions done solely for the purpose of sex selection or because of a genetic abnormality, such as Down Syndrome.
It is appalling to learn that the state's only abortion center is seeking legal license to abort children solely because of their gender or genetic traits.
These laws reflect the desire of the people of North Dakota to reject fetal discrimination and to protect women's health and safety. Let us pray that justice prevails.
For more info, visit
ndcatholic.org.