SC House votes to advance six-week abortion ban after roughly 24 hours of debate

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WACH) — The South Carolina House of Representatives has voted to advance a bill to ban most abortions after six weeks and all abortions after 12 weeks, after reviewing and denying nearly all 1,000 proposed amendments.

After 24 hours of debate across two days, House Republicans ultimately remained firm in advancing a bill that would stop abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected. The bill runs very similar to one shut down by the state's Supreme Court in January, with the court's opinion deeming six weeks not enough time for a woman to realize they are pregnant and take the necessary steps to receive an abortion.

Abortion was the topic of discussion for the first two days of a special session called by Gov. Henry McMaster last week, however, progress was heavily slowed down after House Democrats proposed over 1,000 amendments to the bill.

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Most were rejected following votes along party lines, including a bill that would require the state to pay for all expenses for a child if that child was born and raised under the Department of Social Services. Others were thrown out before the chamber had a chance to consider them.

Discussions for the bill began Tuesday with Representatives only completing just over 100 amendments before dismissing at 1 a.m. Wednesday morning. Work resumed shortly before 10 a.m. Wednesday and a final vote concluding shortly after 9 p.m.

The bill will still need to be approved by the Senate again before heading to the governor's desk. State senators are not expected to take up the bill until Wednesday.

S. 474 marks the fourth attempt by state Republicans to restrict abortion access since Roe v. Wade was overturned. Members in each chamber have been at odds as to how strict the abortion bill should be, ultimately leading to multiple delays.

“Enacting a heartbeat law that can withstand legal challenges will be a giant step forward for South Carolina," according to Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America's Southern Regional Director Cailin Connors in a statement. "This measure will save thousands of lives each year, and move the state from allowing painful, late-term abortions to protecting unborn children at the point when they have more than a 90% chance of surviving to birth. We thank Gov. Henry McMaster for calling legislators back and look forward to the Senate swiftly sending the heartbeat bill to his desk.”

The recent vote brings South Carolina one step closer to joining alongside other southeastern states in heavily restricting abortions. Earlier this week, North Carolina's General Assembly overrode Gov. Roy Cooper's veto of a 12-week abortion ban.

Multiple women's rights advocacy groups have expressed displeasure with the SC House's decision, with a director of Planned Parenthood South Atlantic calling recent efforts a waste of taxpayers' dollars.

Despite abortion debates taking up several days, lawmakers will still need to vote on several other issues like the state's budget for the upcoming year, and judicial reform hopefully before June 1.