{"id":240245,"date":"2021-02-18T12:59:10","date_gmt":"2021-02-18T18:59:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.liveaction.org\/news\/?p=240245"},"modified":"2021-02-18T15:37:58","modified_gmt":"2021-02-18T21:37:58","slug":"south-carolina-heartbeat-bill-planned-lawsuit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.liveaction.org\/news\/south-carolina-heartbeat-bill-planned-lawsuit\/","title":{"rendered":"South Carolina governor signs ‘heartbeat bill’ as Planned Parenthood prepares lawsuit"},"content":{"rendered":"
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South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster signed The South Carolina Fetal Heartbeat and Protection from Abortion Act<\/a> Thursday, banning abortions in the state when a fetal heartbeat is detected. The law took effect immediately following the signing. Pro-abortion groups have announced they will file a lawsuit to try and block the law.<\/p>\n

“If there is not a right to life then what right is there? What rights exist if not the elementary, fundamental, profound right to life?” said McMaster. “So we are here to protect it. […] Who possesses the right? We have the duty. Who has the right? All of us have the right. The young, the old, the rich, the poor, the week, the strong, known, unknown, or unborn all have the right to life. […] Our battles are not yet over but I believe the dawn of victory is upon us.”<\/p>\n

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Screenshot WCSC. Gov. McMaster signs “heartbeat bill.”<\/p><\/div>\n

The pro-life law includes an exception for cases of medical emergency, though abortion is never medically necessary<\/a>. There have also been exceptions added for rape, incest, and fetal diagnoses. A doctor who commits abortions after the preborn child’s heartbeat is detectable could face a felony charge, fines, and jail time. The South Carolina Senate passed the bill in January, and the House passed it on Wednesday despite pro-abortion House members walking out<\/a> in protest during the debate. One of those House members referred to the bill as a “farce of a vote about pretend life.”<\/p>\n

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