South Carolina is set to join a list of Republican-led states that have championed sweeping abortion restrictions following last year’s Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade. The state’s legislature recently approved a bill banning most abortions after six weeks of pregnancy in a 30-13 Senate vote and a 79-35 House vote. The bill, which is expected to be signed into law by Republican Governor Henry McMaster, will make South Carolina the 15th state to restrict abortions after the sixth week, following Georgia, Ohio, and Mississippi.
Exceptions will be made for medical emergencies, rape, and incest, and biological fathers will be required to pay child support from the moment of conception if the bill becomes law. The legislation would restore a similar 2021 law that was overturned by the state’s Supreme Court in January. The Republican-controlled South Carolina Senate also passed a bill last week banning abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy, which is expected to be signed into law, too. Exceptions for victims of incest and rape were included, though victims had to report the rape to law enforcement and have two doctors certify the occurrence of incest or rape.
Opponents of the new bill argued that it would worsen South Carolina’s high maternal mortality rates, particularly among Black patients. Democratic Representative Nancy Mace also came out against the bill, citing the reporting requirement, noting that many victims do not report rapes to police. The bill also comes after the House backed off a proposal that would have almost entirely banned abortions at conception, due to a lack of votes. Last month, all Democrats and three Republican women voted against a near-total ban on abortions.
The South Carolina Supreme Court overturned a similar six-week ban earlier this year, concluding that the state constitution’s privacy protections required pregnant women sufficient time to end a pregnancy. The recent legislation would ban most abortions after early cardiac activity is detected in a fetus or embryo as early as six weeks into pregnancy. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic has said it plans to challenge the bill in court.
South Carolina’s legislation follows North Carolina’s enactment of a 12-week abortion ban by overriding the Democratic governor’s veto last week, which also faces legal challenges.
The recent legislation has sparked protests and outrage from pro-choice advocates, who argued that such restrictions force women to carry unwanted pregnancies to term and that most women do not know that they are pregnant until after the sixth week.
In conclusion, South Carolina has joined a list of states enacting sweeping abortion restrictions following last year’s Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, passing a bill banning most abortions after six weeks of pregnancy in a 30-13 Senate vote and a 79-35 House vote. The bill will restore a similar 2021 law that was overturned by the state’s Supreme Court in January. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic has said it plans to challenge the bill in court.
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