South Carolina is on the verge of banning almost all abortions, including for women who are only two months pregnant, according to new legislation on fetal heartbeat.
The state Senate passed the Fetal Heartbeat and Abortion Protection Act in South Carolina on Thursday easily by 30 votes to 13.
The bill, which has already passed the state legislature and is expected to be sanctioned by Republican Governor Henry McMaster, requires doctors to perform ultrasound tests if they believe the woman is at least eight weeks pregnant.
If the doctor finds a heartbeat and the pregnancy is not the result of rape or incest, the doctor is prohibited from having an abortion unless the mother’s life is in danger.
Current state law prohibits abortion after 20 weeks.
Similar projects in about a dozen states are tied in courts.
As expected, Thursday’s vote was welcomed by anti-abortion activists and criticized by advocates.
“Thank God for the people of this state,” said Republican state senator Larry Grooms de Bonneau.
Grooms, who struggled to end abortion for 24 years, was referring to southern Carolinians who voted Republicans for new seats in last year’s elections, helping pro-life people overcome years of legislative obstacles.
Democrats said South Carolina has many more pressing problems, including more than 6,000 killed by COVID-19. He never expanded Medicaid, raised the minimum wage and perpetually has an education system that is at the base of the nation, said Democratic Senator Margie Bright Matthews of Walterboro.
“What did we do for a living?” she asked.
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