In the wake of the Dobbs v. Jackson U.S. Supreme Court decision which returned decisions regarding abortion to the states, South Carolina lawmakers have been tasked with crafting legislation to address this issue.
From the outset, the GOP-controlled South Carolina House and Senate have had competing visions of what abortion legislation should look like.
Hardline conservatives in the House initially demanded a near-total ban following a special session convened to address the issue – declining to even meet with leaders in the Senate, who proposed a six week abortion ban.
Since the South Carolina supreme court struck down legislation prohibiting abortion once a fetal heartbeat is detected – legalizing abortion through week 22 of pregnancy – conservative lawmakers have been under pressure to pass a bill restricting the procedure.
Recalcitrant House Republicans have since fallen in line behind a bill similar to the Senate legislation they refused to discuss in 2022 – and they could have had the measure on governor Henry McMaster‘s desk had they not amended it earlier this week.
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While Republicans hold a supermajority in both chambers, Democrats are determined to make known their opposition to legislation – which they view as extreme.
Democratic lawmakers introduced more than 1,000 amendments to the bill, prompting S.C. House speaker Murrell Smith to tell representatives to “bring supper, dinner, breakfast, lunch, whatever … for days or however long you want to get through amendments.”
Smith’s recommendations have been heeded. As I sat in the S.C. State House lobby earlier today preparing this report, a legislative aide walked by carrying cases of RedBull and granola bars for depleted legislators.
As the lobby filled in anticipation of the debate, a crowd of pro-choice activists were encouraged to run for office and make inroads with their Republican neighbors and friends by Democrat representative Gilda Cobb-Hunter.
(Click to View)
Cobb-Hunter then passionately initiated a brief press conference at which freshman Democrat representative Heather Bauer implored politicians to “stay out of my family decisions, out of my doctor’s offices, and also out of my bedroom.”
“This is about women being forced to carry dead babies to term, this is about ten year olds being raped by their father and having to carry that child, this is about women being full citizens in our state” Bauer continued.
Democrats at the conference acknowledge the impossibility of success, but representative Beth Bernstein made it “we are going to make this hurt if they are going to force this on us.”
Bernstein later told me she packed two changes of clothes – and is prepared to take as much time as needed.
Once the House eventually passes a bill, it must then pass the Senate.
Senator Tom Davis told me he would support – and help expedite – a bill “in a form materially the same as the fetal heartbeat bill the Senate passed earlier this year.” That legislation contained exceptions for rape and incest, instances where the child has a fetal anomaly, and instances in which the life of the mother is in danger.
Senate Republicans are unlikely to accept a radically more conservative bill than the one they passed earlier this year.
While the expeditiousness of passage remains up for debate, Republican domination of state government guarantees that a law restricting abortion will eventually be passed.
Count on this news outlet to provide continued coverage of this issue as it advances through the S.C. General Assembly.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
(Via: Travis Bell)
Dylan Nolan is the director of special projects at FITSNews. He graduated from the Darla Moore school of business in 2021 with an accounting degree. Got a tip or story idea for Dylan? Email him here. You can also engage him socially @DNolan2000.
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2 comments
The over turning of Roe v Wade is the the end of the Republican Party.
Democrats are picking up wins in off year elections across the Country.
See you in 2024!
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Pogo
11 hours ago
RWNJ’s fail to see the forest for the trees
In 2024, upwards of an additional 20 million GenZ will be
eligible to vote. This is in addition to the GenZ and Millennials
who turned out in record numbers for the mid-terms.
57% voted Blue, 40% Red. Republicans expected a Red Wave.
What they got was a trickle of Red-Piss in the Pot
GenZ and Millennials will not vote Republican as they are not
being listened to by Republicans.
The big issue for them in the mid-terms was abortion. It still is,
and that has only got far worse. Add to that now they are
extremely pissed off about the lack of gun control, and the
continual GQP inaction, the inaction on Climate Change,
and the RWNJ’s hold a losing hand.
There will be other issues, but the Dragon is awake. They
ain’t stupid and they are the future and they VOTE.
They are pissed off that the RWNJ’s refuse to attend to
the issues that are important to them. Important to the Nation.
Just as the Dinosaurs became extinct, the GQP will also
Republicans have lost their vote, even before they try to woo it.
THERE IS NO GOING BACK NOW