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RALEIGH — North Carolina abortion providers would be barred from performing the procedure if a woman's decision centered on the unborn child's race or a Down syndrome diagnosis, under legislation approved Thursday by the House.
The measure, which passed after nearly an hour of impassioned debate, marked the latest flashpoint for state Republicans trying to further restrict abortion. GOP lawmakers said the measure is designed to prevent discrimination. The legislature approved a ban on sex-selection abortions in 2013.
“I understand abortion is a very heated and partisan topic. This bill is very narrowly tailored,” Rep. John Bradford, a Mecklenburg County Republican and bill sponsor whose legislative interns have included those with Down syndrome.