In a significant legislative move, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster signed into law on Thursday a bill that forbids most abortions in the state after a pregnancy has reached six weeks. This decision was taken following the bill’s successful passage through the South Carolina Senate earlier this week, overcoming a filibuster mounted by five female senators in an attempt to obstruct its passage. This makes South Carolina the latest state in the United States to implement such restrictions, joining Florida, Texas, and Oklahoma among others.
The new South Carolina legislation, similar to other “heartbeat bills” passed across the nation, predicates its restrictions on the detection of fetal cardiac activity. As per the law’s new stipulations, “no person shall perform or induce an abortion on a pregnant woman with the specific intent of causing or abetting an abortion if the unborn child’s fetal heartbeat has been detected.” Those found guilty of contravening this law could face serious repercussions, including a felony conviction, a fine of up to $10,000, and a possible prison term of up to two years.
The new law, however, does include certain exceptions. Abortions may be performed in case of medical emergencies or when the health of the pregnant woman is in jeopardy. Furthermore, pregnancies resulting from rape or incest may be legally terminated, provided the procedure occurs within the first 12 weeks of the pregnancy.
Upon signing the bill, Governor McMaster lauded the decision, saying, “This is a great day for life in South Carolina, but the fight is not over. We stand ready to defend this legislation against any challenges and are confident we will succeed. The right to life must be preserved, and we will do everything we can to protect it.”
Immediately following the governor’s signing of the bill into law, a legal challenge was lodged by Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, Greenville Women’s Clinic, and two physicians practicing within the state. Jenny Black, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, expressed her concern over the law: “State lawmakers have once again trampled on our right to make private health care decisions, ignoring warnings from health care providers and precedent set by the state’s highest court just a few months ago.”
This legal battle echoes a previous skirmish earlier this year when a similar Republican-led effort to restrict abortions after six weeks was overturned by the South Carolina Supreme Court in January. The court battle’s outcome and the public reaction to the newly signed legislation will undoubtedly be closely watched by both advocates and opponents of abortion rights across the nation.
