Media Contact

Janna Farley, jfarley@aclu.org

January 15, 2019

The ACLU of North Dakota opposes House Bill 1336, a bill that would require a physician to provide information about how to possibly “reverse” the effects of an abortion-inducing drug.

Facts are important, especially when discussing the health of women and the American public. Claims regarding abortion “reversal” treatment are not based on science and do not meet clinical standards, according to the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Yet, North Dakota politicians are pushing legislation to require physicians to tell women undergoing a drug-induced abortion false information. 

Heather Smith, executive director of the ACLU of North Dakota, released the following statement:

“The decision to have an abortion is deeply personal and private and best left to a woman, her family and her doctor. It’s clear that this bill is motivated by a desire to coerce and intimidate women who have already made a very private medical decision, one that is protected under the U.S. Constitution, and it’s disappointing that North Dakota politicians continue to try to insert themselves into the patient-doctor relationship.

“Unfounded legislative mandates like House Bill 1336 represent dangerous political interference and compromise patient care and safety. The ACLU of North Dakota works to ensure that every woman can make the best decision for herself and her family about whether and when to start a family without undue political interference.”

About the ACLU of North Dakota

The ACLU of North Dakota monitors a wide range of issues at the legislature. Our education and lobbying efforts are aimed at informing both lawmakers and the public about the civil rights and civil liberties implications of the bills proposed by our elected officials.

The American Civil Liberties Union of North Dakota is a non-partisan organization dedicated to the preservation and enhancement of civil liberties and civil rights. The ACLU believes freedoms of press, speech, assembly, and religion, and the rights to due process, equal protection, and privacy are fundamental to a free people. In addition, the ACLU seeks to advance constitutional protections for groups traditionally denied their rights, including people of color, women, and the LGBT communities. The ACLU of North Dakota carries out its work through selective litigation, lobbying at the state and local level, and through public education and awareness of what the Bill of Rights means for people of North Dakota.

For up-to-date information on the bills the ACLU of North Dakota is tracking, go to www.aclund.org.

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