A committee from among South Carolina lawmakers are pushing for the passage of a "fetal heartbeat bill," a report says.
Once signed into a law, doctors performing abortions will face charges if a fetal heartbeat is detected six to seven weeks after conception, thereby banning abortion in its early stage, Live 5 News reported.
Enforcement of anti-abortion law, however, had its challenges.
While the "South Carolina Fetal Heartbeat and Protection from Abortion Act" has made its way up to the Senate, its proponents could not get two-thirds of the legislative body to vote for the abortion ban. Other reasons include lengthy and costly court procedures.
Last year, Republicans increased their number to 30 out of the 46 senate seats. The untimely death of pro-life Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was not a total loss as she's replaced by Justice Amy Coney Barrett who is also reputed as anti-abortion.
South Carolina is now at the forefront of the fight against abortion and the chance for the passage of the bill this year is high.
During the State of the State address on Wednesday, Gov. Henry McMaster said that he would sign the bill once it reaches his desk.
"Let this be the year that we further protect the sanctity of life with the heartbeat bill," the governor said during the speech.
"It's time to vote. Send me the heartbeat bill and I will immediately sign it into law," he added.
Detractors argue that the bill is unconstitutional based on the ruling made by Judge Roe v. Wade legalizing abortion on babies for up to 28 weeks.
Furthermore, there was also the consideration to some exceptions like ectopic pregnancies or when the mother's life is at risk. Pregnancies that resulted from rape and incest are ruled out.
They also pit the abortion ban case against the ongoing pandemic which they believed the Senate Medical Affairs Committee should be looking into.
"It really defies logic in the middle of a pandemic for the State of South Carolina to open its session trying to curtail the rights of women when we should be looking out for the health care and wellbeing of all South Carolinians," Orangeburg County Democratic Sen. Brad Hutto said.
According to ABC News' report, officials said that more than 100 people voiced their thoughts and shared their stories on Thursday.
"It is a bill upon which individual have voiced their opinion both for and against extensively," says Republican Subcommittee Chairman Tom Davis giving each person 3 minutes to speak.
The stream of talks based on religious convictions seemed to tire the ears of some Democrats like Sen. Marlon Kimpson, D-Charleston.
"Help us with useful information. The political speeches and pastors preaching a sermon - I've got a pastor...Quite frankly, I'm more interested today in hearing from the doctors and people with medical expertise," he said.
In response, Sen. Richard Cash said that the citizens have the right to speak their minds.
"If they want to speak as a pastor, a homemaker any other person of our society, they are welcome," said Sen. Cash.
Other states that have also passed anti-abortion bills are Louisiana, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi and Ohio.
