The South Carolina Senate approved a bill that would ban abortions beyond six weeks, while the procedure is currently legal up to 12 weeks. The document contains exceptions for certain cases, such as fetal malformations, a threat to the life and health of the mother, pregnancy as a result of rape or incest. The document provides for doctors who performed an illegal operation, punishment in the form of imprisonment for up to two years or a fine of $10,000.
“Today, our state is one step closer to protecting innocent lives. I will sign this bill ASAP,” South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster tweeted .
South Carolina already introduced a ban on abortion after six weeks in 2021, but the decision was overturned by the state Supreme Court, citing that such a law does not give women enough time to make a decision.
Currently, the ban on abortions for more than six weeks is in effect in Georgia. Abortion is banned or severely restricted in most southern states, including Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, and West Virginia.
Individual states began tightening their abortion laws after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned a 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling in June 2022 that recognized the right to abortion as constitutional. Thus, the regulation of legislation in this area now occurs at the state level.