(LifeSiteNews) — The Republican speaker of the North Carolina state House of Representatives announced Tuesday that the assembly will not be taking up a bill introduced earlier this week that would have criminalized nearly all abortions in the state.

Republican Speaker Destin Hall told reporters after an April 8 House voting session that the body would not take up House Bill 804, which had been introduced by Republican Representative Keith Kidwell the previous day, according to News & Observer. The bill would have made aborting an unborn child illegal at all stages of pregnancy, only allowing exceptions when allegedly necessary to save the mother’s life. 

Abortion, the violent destruction of an unborn child in his or her mother’s womb, is not only evil in every circumstance but is never medically necessary or justifiable.

“I don’t think there’s any real desire in our caucus to hear that particular bill, and so, it’s not going to be heard in committee,” Hall said.

The bill had proposed charging doctors who abort unborn babies with a felony and fining them a minimum of $100,000. The legislation notably did not include exceptions for rape or incest but did include exceptions to “save the life of the mother.”

READ: Ten states have introduced bills to classify abortion as murder so far in 2025

In 2023, Kidwell introduced House Bill 533, which mirrored the bill he proposed this week, and was similarly not taken up by then-Speaker Tim Moore.

That same year, the North Carolina legislature overrode then-Governor Roy Cooper’s veto to pass a 12-week abortion ban that allows exceptions for rape, incest, and the mother’s physical “health.” Hall emphasized to reporters that he believes this legislation should remain as is and that no further legislative action should be taken to protect the unborn for now.

READ: Arkansas lawmakers reject attempt to weaken pro-life law

“We just passed, less than two years ago, really landmark pro-life legislation, and that bill did a lot of things, and I think we need to give some more time to see how that bill is working, but I don’t anticipate doing much more on that issue this session,” he said.

LifeSiteNews reached out to Speaker Destin Hall’s office asking for clarification on why the Republican wouldn’t even allow the House to take up the bill, but it did not respond as of publication time. LifeSite also reached out to Rep. Kidwell’s office about his bill, but it also has not replied.

North Carolina residents, to respectfully voice your concerns, please contact:

Speaker Destin Hall

Phone: 919-733-3451

Email: [email protected]