Local

New regulations on abortions to go into effect Tuesday

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — New regulations on abortions will go into effect on Tuesday in North Carolina.

The changes will prevent a person from getting an abortion when the sex of the unborn child is a significant factor.

It will limit insurance coverage of abortions in city or county insurance plans except in cases of rape, and the department of health also has to draft new guidelines for state abortion clinics.

Those against the new law said it will be costly to abortion clinics and could possibly shut many clinics down.

While the law goes into effect on Tuesday, Department of Health and Human Services will have until Jan. 1 to submit new regulations to the legislature.

"Again, we don't know what the restrictions are yet. They don't have to do with the medical services as much as they have to do with the facilities," said Marcie Shealy of Planned Parenthood.

This summer, Gov. Pat McCrory responded to criticism over the bill saying, "These higher standards will result in safer conditions for North Carolina women. This law does not further limit access, and those who contend it does are more interested in politics than the health and safety of our citizens."