By Holly Gatling, Executive Director, South Carolina Citizens for Life
COLUMBIA, S.C. (Thursday, September 8, 2022) South Carolina Citizens for Life is heartbroken for the unborn in our state because the Senate failed to pass the Human Life Protection Act.
“This isn’t where I want to be,” said Senator Shane Massey, R-Edgefield, the Senate Majority Leader who led the floor debate. He continued, however, leading the Senate to pass language to protect the Fetal Heartbeat and Protection from Abortion Act that the S.C. Supreme Court enjoined on August 17, 2022. Planned Parenthood alleged in a lawsuit that the Heartbeat law violates the State Constitution’s right to privacy clause.
“While we are crushed for the unborn members of our human family, we will continue to fight for protective legislation and to provide for pregnant women in need of help,” said SCCL President Lisa Van Riper.
The next move is for the South Carolina House to accept or reject the remnant language intended to save the Fetal Heartbeat Act.
The House will meet again on September 27 to decide the next step before the sine die resolution expires on November 13, 2022.