Staff reports | S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster on Thursday signed a bill that effectively banned most abortions, one of his top priorities since he took office more than four years ago. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic and Greenville Women’s Clinic immediately sued in federal court to block it. A hearing is scheduled 1 p.m. today on a temporary restraining order.
The new law prevents a woman from getting an abortion as early as six weeks into a pregnancy, which is only two weeks after a missed period. Critics say many women may not realize they’re pregnant at six weeks.
“Important health care decisions should be made by individuals in consultation with their trusted medical providers and their families, not politicians,” said Dr. Katherine Farris, chief medical officer for Planned Parenthood South Atlantic. “Abortion is a critical component of comprehensive reproductive health care, and everyone deserves to have access to the health care they need, without politicians controlling when, how, or why.”
Several advocacy groups, including the Women’s Rights and Empowerment Network (WREN), issued statements blasting the law.
“We are outraged that elected officials have disregarded the will of the people in passing this dangerous and unconstitutional ban,” said WREN CEO Ann Warner. “We believe that every person in our state has the capacity to make decisions about pregnancy and parenting for themselves, and we will never stop fighting for their rights to do so. We demand that our lawmakers show us how much they care about our lives by prioritizing bills that will address the real crises in our state, including maternal and infant mortality, inequitable pay practices, unemployment, and poverty.”
In other recent news:
Statehouse corruption probe prosecutor hands off cases. Control of the S.C. Statehouse corruption probe, which netted indictments against six lawmakers and a top political operative, has been turned over to the state attorney general. More: The State.
S.C. legislature integrated 50 years ago. In 1971, James Felder, Isaac Samuel (I.S.) Leevy Johnson and Herbert Fielding entered the S.C. House as the first elected Black lawmakers to serve in the legislature since the turn of the 20th century. Today, Black lawmakers hold 45 seats in the General Assembly. More: The State.
S.C. one of the least-educated states in America, study shows. South Carolina ranked No. 42 in a list of the most educated states in America, according to a study from personal finance site WalletHub. The Palmetto State earned the same spot in 2019, but dipped even lower, to No. 44, in 2020. More: The State.
McMaster, education leaders call for more need-based student aid. Higher education officials and the governor are calling on state legislators to levy more aid for college students. Enrollment dropped 13 percent across all institutions last fall, driven by the coronavirus. More: The Post and Courier.
Lawmakers approve bill to boost spending on vaccine rollouts. McMaster is reviewing a bill proposed by state lawmakers on Tuesday to spend $208 million on a vaccine allocation plan. The measure, which passed the House and Senate, would provide money to be used to administer vaccines, boost testing, increase PPE supplies and cover other vaccine-related expenses.
S.C. disabilities agency director fired without explanation. The director of the agency that provides services for South Carolinians with disabilities was fired Feb. 18 without explanation. More: The Post and Courier.
S.C. Speaker warns House: Stop being vindictive, show decorum. S.C. House Speaker Jay Lucas warned members of the House Thursday that the chamber was not a place to be vindictive or theatrical. More: AP News.
Officials seek more public oversight of special districts, more. McMaster and at least four lawmakers are calling for more scrutiny and fewer ethics loopholes for the state’s many special purpose districts. More: The Post and Courier
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