RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — Representatives Deborah Ross (D-2), Wiley Nickel (D-13), the ACLU and small business owners met Friday for a roundtable on abortion access in North Carolina.  

Small business owners spoke about the impacts of North Carolina’s abortion law on the economy.

“When people don’t feel like they have freedom in a state they take their business elsewhere and that means we’re not having talent move to this state,” said Ross. “We’re not having the students move to this state that we talked about.”

The law, which went into effect July 1, bans most abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy. Some business owners told the representatives they worry the bill will have a negative impact on business and tourism.

“I worry about the businesses that are not even considering us as an option and the lost revenue, and the lost economy that our businesses are facing, that people who work here are facing,” said Kate Charland with Carpenter Development.

Ross and Nickel told business owners that they will continue to push for change on the issue.