BISMARCK, N.D. (KXNET)— The hearing on House Bill 1171 only took 15 minutes.

“The bill is pretty straightforward,” said Christopher Dodson, the executive director of the North Dakota Catholic Conference.

The bill will prohibit anyone from forcing or coercing a woman to get an abortion. There is a law similar to this that was passed several years ago.

“Several years ago, we made it a crime for a human trafficker to force a victim of human trafficking to have an abortion. This bill essentially extends that same protection to everyone. It shouldn’t matter. No one should be forced to have an abortion,” said Dodson.

Linda Thorson traveled five hours from Edinburgh to Bismarck to show support for the bill.

Thorson is also the director of Concerned Women for America of North Dakota.

“I came down yesterday because I wanted to be here to support women that choose life and to support women and let them know there are options available,” said Thorson.

Thorson said this bill is especially important to her because she knows women personally who were forced to have an abortion.

“I’ve seen it and I’ve heard of those stories of women’s boyfriends or even parents and they feel trapped and they feel the only choice they have is to have an abortion,” said Thorson.

So, when Representative Vicky Steiner brought House Bill 1171, she knew she wanted to show her support for it.

Thorson said she knows women who expressed regret.

“Some of it comes back to how the abortion took place. Some of it happens because they didn’t know they had other options,” said Thorson.

The bill received a 14-0 “do-pass” recommendation.