North Dakota Gov. Jack Dalrymple signed into law Tuesday three bills to make his state the most restrictive in the country for abortion access, according to news reports.
In a statement, the Republican governor announced he had signed legislation banning abortions performed for genetic abnormalities and gender selection.
He also signed a bill (HB 1456) that would ban abortions if a heartbeat is detected — something that can happen as early as six weeks into a pregnancy, according to The Associated Press.
Dalrymple acknowledged that the legislation will likely face court challenges.
“Although the likelihood of this measure surviving a court challenge remains in question, this bill is nevertheless a legitimate attempt by a state legislature to discover the boundaries of Roe v. Wade,” Dalrymple said in a statement. “Because the U.S. Supreme Court has allowed state restrictions on the performing of abortions and because the Supreme Court has never considered this precise restriction in HB 1456, the constitutionality of this measure is an open question.”
Dalrymple further called on the state assembly to appropriate money for a “litigation fund available to the Attorney General.”
The governor also signed a measure that would require doctors who perform abortions to have staff privileges at a “nearby hospital.” He added that too could possibly face a court challenge.
“Nevertheless, it is a legitimate and new question for the courts regarding a precise restriction on doctors who perform abortions,” he said in a statement.
The AP noted that abortion rights advocates have promised such a legal opposition.