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South Carolina legislators have approved a bill that prohibits almost all abortions after approximately six weeks of pregnancy, a time when most women are unaware of their pregnancy.
The state’s Republican governor, Henry McMaster, is expected to sign the bill into law.
However, legal challenges now loom ahead.
Since the Supreme Court overturned the nationwide right to abortion last year, most southern US states have restricted abortion rights.
The three Republican women in the state’s Senate opposed the vote in South Carolina, which passed mostly along party lines.
Planned Parenthood South Atlantic’s director of public affairs, Vicki Ringer, announced that her organization will file a request for a temporary restraining order once Mr. McMaster signs the bill.
Ms. Ringer reported on Twitter that today, 27 Republican men voted unanimously to ban abortion in SC.
The individual expresses being devastated. Women will die. The user wrote, “Full stop.”
The “Fetal Heartbeat and Protection from Abortion Act” bill proposes a ban on abortions in nearly all cases once a foetus or embryo’s early cardiac activity is detectable, which typically occurs around six weeks into a pregnancy.
The bill permits the termination of pregnancies in cases of rape and incest for up to 12 weeks, and includes a provision for medical emergencies.
The state currently permits abortions up to the 22nd week of pregnancy.
South Carolina’s Supreme Court ruled an earlier measure unconstitutional in January, and the bill is a revision of that measure.
Human Embryo (7th week of pregnancy, 5th week p.o.)
After Tuesday’s vote, Mr. McMaster tweeted that the bill’s passing brings our state one step closer to protecting more innocent lives.
He said he looked forward to signing the bill into law as soon as possible.
A cross-party group of five women, including three Republicans, had repeatedly thwarted the state Senate Republicans’ attempts to pass the bill.
Republican State Senator Sandy Senn, who was among the group, declared that today’s actions will not eliminate illegal abortions but rather lead to their increase.
Recent efforts to tighten abortion restrictions have put increasing pressure on Virginia, which had been seen as a last legal bastion for women seeking abortion in the South.
South Carolina, once considered a safe haven for women seeking abortion, is no longer a viable option.
Republican lawmakers in North Carolina upheld a ban on most abortions after 12 weeks in a vote last week.