Judge: North Dakota abortion law unconstitutional

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A federal judge has ruled that a North Dakota law that bans abortions when a fetal heartbeat is detected is "invalid and unconstitutional."

U.S. District Judge Daniel Hovland on Wednesday ruled that the law passed last year by the North Dakota Legislature "cannot withstand a constitutional challenge."

The law would ban abortions as early as six weeks.