Protecting Life Through Legislation
Protect unborn children. Stand beside mothers. Help families thrive.
Our work does not end with a law
A good pro-life law can protect an unborn child. A ride to a doctor, a safe place to live, or help paying for child care can help a mother choose life.
We need both strong laws and real support. We want every mother to know that she and her baby matter.
The 2025 research estimates show why this work is still needed. About 980 abortions were obtained in other states by North Dakota residents. The supplied study also estimates 390 for online-only abortion providers serving North Dakota.
Together, the two groups give a combined estimate of about 1,370 for 2025. That is a serious concern for life. It includes cases counted from pills sent here. It is not proof of 1,370 completed abortions or 1,370 different women.
These are options lawmakers could study. They are not a list of bills formally endorsed by NDRL. Any bill needs careful legal and budget review before it moves forward.
Guttmacher travel data; the statistics page explains the estimates.
1. Address abortion pills sent into our state
Why it matters
Abortion pills can reach a woman without a visit to a North Dakota clinic. That puts unborn children at risk even when our state bans most abortions.
What lawmakers could do
- Review the rules for prescribing and selling abortion drugs.
- Find gaps in how those rules are enforced.
- Help state agencies share reports of unlawful sales, false claims or pressure to have an abortion.
- Consider clear, narrow laws aimed at those problems.
What must be worked out
Federal drug rules, state laws and court orders can conflict. An attorney must check what North Dakota can lawfully require. A new penalty alone may not stop a provider in another state.
How we would know it is helping
Track proven violations and whether sellers follow the law. Review the pill estimates using the same methods each year. A complaint or shipment is not proof that an abortion was prevented.
ND law on abortion drugs; FDA drug rules; May 2026 court order.
2. Respond to out-of-state shield laws
Why it matters
Some states protect abortion providers from action by other states. These are called shield laws. Some cover providers who send pills across state lines.
They are a serious obstacle to protecting unborn children in North Dakota.
What lawmakers could do
Ask the Attorney General and state legal staff to study which legal steps could work. Find out how North Dakota could obtain evidence, bring a case and enforce a court decision.
Compare the likely cost and benefit before creating a new kind of lawsuit.
What must be worked out
States disagree about which laws should apply. The US Constitution also sets limits. A law that sounds strong may fail in court if it is written too broadly.
How we would know it is helping
Look at court decisions that hold up, actions the state can actually enforce and the cost of each approach. Filing more lawsuits is not, by itself, proof that more lives were saved.
New York’s shield-law provision gives one example. Each state’s law must be studied on its own.
3. Give the public a clearer picture
Why it matters
We cannot respond well to a problem we cannot clearly see. State reports leave out some abortions involving North Dakota residents. Research estimates have gaps too.
What lawmakers could do
- Publish a clear yearly report that explains what is counted and what is missing.
- Keep travel, pills and in-state abortions clearly labeled.
- Study lawful ways to share totals between states.
- Explain when older numbers are changed or updated.
What must be worked out
Keep women’s names and private medical details out of public reports. Small counts may need to stay private. North Dakota cannot assume every out-of-state provider will report to it.
How we would know it is helping
Check whether reports arrive on time and include the needed facts. Better reporting may raise the recorded count even if the true number of abortions did not rise.
ND HHS abortion reports; ND reporting laws, §§ 14-02.1-02.2 and -07.
4. Enforce the protections we already have
Why it matters
A law must be enforced to do its job. Women should also be protected from false claims, unlawful drug sales and pressure to have an abortion.
What lawmakers could do
Make it easier to report possible violations. Give the right agencies the staff and training to review them. Provide clear guidance for doctors on the law’s exceptions and reporting rules.
What must be worked out
A claim must be proved. People accused of wrongdoing must get a fair process. Guidance cannot change a law or a court order. Women must be able to get prompt emergency and pregnancy-loss care.
How we would know it is helping
Track cases that are proved, how long reviews take and whether the result holds up in court. Do not judge success only by the number of charges filed.
Attorney General’s January 2026 action is an example of an existing enforcement effort. Its claims are allegations, not findings against every provider.
5. Make help easier for mothers to reach
Why it matters
A mother should not feel pushed toward abortion because she lacks housing, medical care or support. Help should continue after her child is born.
North Dakota already offers free, private pregnancy-support services through approved groups. Eligible Medicaid members can also receive 12 months of coverage after pregnancy.
What lawmakers could do
- Find places where women cannot easily get help.
- Improve rides to medical visits and help with housing.
- Help women sign up for benefits early.
- Strengthen pregnancy, parenting and after-birth support.
- Make referrals lead to real services, not just another phone number.
What must be worked out
Programs need money, staff and places to provide care. Rural access matters. A woman’s privacy and choices must be respected.
How we would know it is helping
Track wait times, completed medical visits and whether families get the help they asked for. Ask mothers what needs remain. Serving a family does not prove that an abortion was prevented.
HHS pregnancy-support program; HHS Medicaid coverage after pregnancy.
6. Help families through adoption and parenting
Why it matters
Some mothers choose adoption. Others raise their children. Both need care and lasting support.
North Dakota’s adoption assistance program helps qualifying children with special needs. It is not a payment for every infant adoption.
What lawmakers could do
Review help with adoption counseling, legal costs and support after adoption. Study child care needs and help for parents who work or attend school.
Listen to birth parents, adoptive parents and the people who serve them.
What must be worked out
Adoption must be voluntary. Protect parents’ rights and follow the laws that apply to each child. Do not pressure a woman to place her child for adoption in order to receive help.
How we would know it is helping
Track access to counseling, waiting times and family needs. Look at how well families are doing over time. More adoptions alone do not prove that fewer abortions took place.
Keep the goal in view
We want unborn children to live and mothers to have the support they need.
Every proposal should answer four questions: What will it do? Will it work? Can it stand up in court? How will we know it is helping?
Strong pro-life work joins courage with care. We must defend the child and stand beside the mother.
Contact NDRL Get updates