Senate Bill 20 - Care for Women, Children, and Families Act

• Abortion Restrictions: Prohibits abortion after 12 weeks of pregnancy with limited exceptions for medical emergencies, rape/incest (through 20 weeks), and life-limiting fetal anomalies (through 24 weeks); requires ultrasounds, 72-hour waiting periods, and detailed informed consent procedures.

• Born-Alive Protections: Requires health care providers to exercise professional skill to preserve life of infants born alive during abortion attempts and immediately transport them to hospitals; establishes criminal penalties up to Class D felony.

• Maternal and Infant Health Support: Appropriates $3.5 million annually for long-acting contraceptives, increases Medicaid rates for obstetric care to 71% of Medicare rates, funds Safe Sleep North Carolina Campaign, and increases foster care and adoption assistance payment rates.

• Safe Surrender of Infants: Creates safe haven law allowing parents to surrender infants up to 30 days old without prosecution; establishes procedures for custody, notification, confidentiality protections, and expedited adoption processes.

• Additional Provisions: Authorizes paid parental leave for state employees (8 weeks for births, 4 weeks for other qualifying events), expands satellite-based monitoring for violent offenders to life, increases penalties for assault on pregnant women, and establishes misdemeanor domestic violence crime.