North Carolina Republicans propose 12-week abortion ban.

North Carolina Republican leaders have agreed to back a measure that would prohibit abortion in nearly all cases after roughly the first trimester of pregnancy, reducing the current ban from 20 weeks to 12 weeks, with new exceptions in cases of rape, incest or fetal abnormality. The bill also contains provisions to make adoptions easier and to improve health care access for children and pregnant women. The final measure would go to the desk of Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper, who is a strong supporter of abortion rights.