Nearly 500 AAUW members and allies signed the following online petition in July of 2013, opposing a variety of bills (including HB695, SB353) as the restrictions on access to abortion made their way through the legislature:
Dear Governor McCrory,
We join with the American Association of University Women (AAUW) of North Carolina in urging you to veto new women’s health restrictions, such as proposals in the House and Senate that would ban abortions after 20 weeks and impose new requirements on women’s health centers that would force dozens of them to shut down.
These restrictions represent a threat to North Carolina doctors, women, and their families. The new requirements on women’s health care centers would make it nearly impossible for them to remain open, thus cutting off women’s access to critical health services such as breast exams and cancer screenings. Moreover, as you acknowledged and criticized, lawmakers have subverted the democratic process by sneaking in the restrictions at the last minute, with little public notice.
During your campaign, you pledged that you would not enact any new abortion restrictions. I urge you to keep your word to North Carolina voters by vetoing any such restrictions that come to your desk.
Sincerely,
AAUW of North Carolina