West Virginia to ban abortions after 20 weeks

West Virginia will ban abortions after 20 weeks unless the courts intervene, as they have with similar laws in other states.

A normal pregnancy lasts 39 weeks in America. There are 9,500 abortions in America each year after 16 weeks. Abortions are down about 10% in America from a decade earlier.

The West Virginia Senate overrode Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin's veto, 27-5. Previously, the West Virginia House overrode Tomblin’s veto, 77-16.

It is the first veto override by the West Virginia Legislature since 1987.

The bill will become law in 90 days unless it is ruled unconstitutional.

Sen. Corey Palumbo, D-Kanawha, said “Bills similar to this have been passed in at least 10 states; I think three of them have been challenged and all three have been held unconstitutional. I don't see any way this bill would be found to be constitutional.”