The South Carolina Senate approved a measure this week that would ban about 97 percent of abortions in the state.
The proposal amends a bill that already bans dismemberment abortions. The new measure bans all abortions, except in cases of rape, incest or threats to the mother’s life, according to The State.
Senators voted 28-10 to approve the proposal. The measure needs one more vote of approval before it can be sent to the state House for consideration.
It’s expected that the bill will bring opposition from abortion activists. If they challenge the proposal, lawmakers say that will be an opportunity to also challenge and overturn Roe v. Wade.
“It’s designed to give the court an opportunity to revisit Roe v. Wade,” state Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey.
Reports say that the proposal would ban about 97 percent of abortions in the state. There are about 5,700 abortions each year in South Carolina, says democratic state Sen. Brad Hutto.
“It’s clearly unconstitutional from my point of view,” said state Sen. Brad Hutto.
The vote to approve the new bill came just 24 hours after the Senate rejected a similar amendment to the dismemberment abortion ban. That amendment would have granted legal right to unborn babies from the moment of conception.
It’s not the first time the South Carolina legislation has tried to push through a bill that would give rights to unborn babies. Another bill that would recognize unborn babies as legal persons failed in the state House earlier this year.
In North Dakota and Arkansas, there have been attempts to ban abortions after an unborn baby’s heartbeat is detectable, which is about six weeks. However, federal courts rejected those laws.
Photo courtesy: ©Thinkstock/Allexxandar
Publication date: May 3, 2018
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