North Dakota passes Arkansas for strictest abortion law

North Dakota Gov. Jack Dalrymple (R) on Tuesday signed the most restrictive abortion ban in the country, enacting a law that would prohibit abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected.

A fetal heartbeat can be present as early as six weeks, which would make North Dakota, by far, the state that bans abortion at the earliest point.

With Dalrymple's signature, North Dakota leapfrogged Arkansas for the most restrictive abortion law. The Razorback State earlier this month enacted a law that would effectively ban abortions after 12 weeks, or when a fetal heartbeat can be detected with an abdominal ultrasound.