Late yesterday we pointed to a Texas law due to be signed by Gov. Rick Perry that would require women seeking abortions to get a sonogram and hear a detailed description of the fetus, then wait 24 hours before the procedure could be performed. Today, two more news stories emerged of similar state-imposed restrictions on abortion.

In North Carolina, as reader Jennifer Epperson pointed out to us this morning, a similar bill to the Texas one is working its way through the state legislature. A House committee recommended it today. And in Indiana, a federal judge today allowed the state to cut funding to Planned Parenthood, despite a "request for a temporary restraining order" as Planned Parenthood challenges the law, which "also bans abortions after the 20th week of pregnancy unless there is a substantial threat to the woman's life or health," the Associated Press reported. 

With a similar ultrasound bill due to be signed in Florida, and funding cuts in the pipe in myriad other states, it's no surprise that pro-choice activists are up in arms. People For the American Way president Michael B. Keegan wrote today in the Huffington Post, "The House GOP's attempts to restrict women's rights and compromise women's privacy are for show, yes. But they are a show with very real consequences for millions of American women. While Congress rattles its saber, pro-choice advocates should not be distracted from the real fights it has inspired in the states."

Want to add to this story? Let us know in comments or send an email to the author at amartin at theatlantic dot com. You can share ideas for stories on the Open Wire.
Adam Martin