North Dakota House Passes Measure To Ban Abortion

February 18, 2009 2:11 p.m. EST

Minot, ND (AHN) - North Dakota on Wednesday passed a bill that will in effect outlaw abortion in the state.

In a 51-41 vote this afternoon, North Dakota's House of Representatives passed a bill that gives a fertilized egg all the rights afforded to a person, meaning a fetus could not be legally aborted without the procedure constituting murder.

Rep. Dan Ruby (R-Minot), who sponsored today's bill, said the new measure is compatible with Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision which legalized abortion in the country.

"This is the exact language that's required by Roe vs. Wade. It stipulated that before a challenge can be made, we have to identify when life begins, and that's what this does."

However, North Dakota House Democrats warn the move will just force North Dakota into a court battle trying to defend the constitutionality of a law that goes against the Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion.