On Tuesday, South Carolina became the 17th state to ban abortion at 20 weeks. After it is ratified, Gov. Nikki Haley is expected to sign the bill into law.
Advertisement
“I can’t imagine any scenario in which I wouldn’t sign it”, the Lexington Republican said in March, adding that she wanted to see the details before making a final decision.
Twelve states now have similar laws in effect. The U.S. Supreme Court is now hearing arguments about whether that state’s law places an undue burden on the constitutional right to an abortion. South Dakota’s law signed in March will take effect this summer.
Some of the extensive evidence that unborn children have the capacity to experience pain, at least by 20 weeks fetal age, is available on the NRLC website at nrlc.org/abortion/fetalpain and also at doctorsonfetalpain.com.
The South Carolina House approved the bill 79-29.
The bill, which was approved by the Senate in March, was first proposed in 2015.
The ban allows exceptions only if the mother’s life is in jeopardy or a doctor determines the fetus can’t survive outside the womb. The exception was crucial for the bill clearing the Senate, where Democrats had blocked the legislation for years.
Senator Brad Hutto, a leading opponent, emphasizes that it should be the woman’s choice. However, he admits that this compromise is “the best we can get”.
It allows exceptions only if the child is not viable and to save the life of the mother.
Doctors in other states testified against similar bans.
Courts have overturned the bans in three states.
The bill’s supporters contend that fetuses can feel pain by 20 weeks, which is debated in the medical community. He said most are situations of wanted pregnancies in which something goes wrong. “Wouldn’t it be interesting if we take dollar-for-dollar the money we’re going to spend litigating unconstitutional bills and put it into something that makes a difference in SC?”
The ban would affect only hospitals. The state only has three abortion clinics, and none of them perform the procedure for pregnancies beyond 15 weeks. Most of the women are white, married and older than 24, according to the agency.
A doctor who is found guilty of violating the law will be fined from $2,000 to $10,000 and imprisoned for not more than three years.
Advertisement
“We ought not pretend, just because it gives us the opportunity to beat up on little girls or women that are victims of rape or incest, we ought not clap because we’ve made it possible to impact their lives by telling them that though the Supreme Court says one thing and the law of the land says one thing, we think something else and we are able now to stand in your face and tell you different”. The bill is lurking in the background, a reminder that abortion opponents in SC are far from finished.
