S.C. House passes heartbeat abortion bill

Anti-abortion activists participate in the “March for Life,” an annual event to mark the anniversary of the 1973 Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion in the US, outside the US Supreme Court in Washington, DC, January 29, 2021. (Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)

The South Carolina House passed a bill that banned nearly all abortions, bringing it closer to becoming law. On Wednesday, legislators voted overwhelmingly in favor of the bill after nearly all Democrat members of the body walked out in protest.

The bill requires doctors to perform ultrasounds to check for a fetal heartbeat. If one is detected, women would be prevented from getting an abortion with some exceptions in cases of rape, incest or if the mother’s life is in danger.

The bill would not punish women who get illegal abortions, but those who perform them could face felony charges. Republicans blocked more than 100 proposed amendments by Democrats and spoke in favor of the measure.

“I’m so tired of these celebrities saying, if I wouldn’t have had an abortion, I couldn’t have went on with my career,” South Carolina State Rep. Melissa Oremus (R) said. “What, what? I’m here. You can still have your life, it’s just going to be a little bit harder.”

The bill already passed the Senate and is headed to Governor Henry McMaster’s (R-S.C.) desk. He said he plans to sign it into law.

The legislation will not take effect unless Roe v. Wade is overturned in the Supreme Court.