Judge pauses South Carolina fetal heartbeat abortion law

Daily Caller News Foundation

A judge in South Carolina blocked the state’s fetal heartbeat abortion law Friday, one day after it was signed into law and challenged by pro-abortion groups.

Judge Clifton Newman of the Circuit Court of South Carolina issued the injunction pending a decision from the South Carolina Supreme Court about the bill, a similar version of which that court struck down in January. Newman’s decision reverts South Carolina’s abortion limit back to 22 weeks, according to Abortion Finder.

“The status quo should be maintained until the Supreme Court reviews its decision,” Newman said, according to the Associated Press, adding that “[i]t’s going to end up there.” Newman issued the ruling in favor of the plaintiffs, who filed their suit in Richland County on Thursday.

Republican Gov. Henry McMaster of South Carolina signed the Fetal Heartbeat and Abortion Protection Act on Thursday after its controversial passage by the legislature. The law would ban abortion after the appearance of a fetal heartbeat, usually after six weeks of pregnancy, with few exceptions, and raise penalties on doctors and personnel who violated the law.

Another law, seeking to ban abortions after conception, was rejected by the state’s Senate after being opposed by several Republican women senators.

Since the state’s previous fetal heartbeat law was overturned in January, by a 3-2 vote, South Carolina’s Supreme Court has seen a change in composition, with Justice Kaye Hearn, the author of the opinion, having retired from the court, while technical changes in the new law make it likely to sway another judge, according to the AP.

It is unclear when the Supreme Court will take up the lawsuit, which is pending in the circuit court. McMaster has said “We stand ready to defend this legislation against any challenges and are confident we will succeed. The right to life must be preserved, and we will do everything we can to protect it.”

McMaster and Planned Parenthood did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact [email protected].

DONATE TO BIZPAC REVIEW

Please help us! If you are fed up with letting radical big tech execs, phony fact-checkers, tyrannical liberals and a lying mainstream media have unprecedented power over your news please consider making a donation to BPR to help us fight them. Now is the time. Truth has never been more critical!

Success! Thank you for donating. Please share BPR content to help combat the lies.

Comment

We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.

BPR INSIDER COMMENTS

Scroll down for non-member comments or join our insider conversations by becoming a member. We'd love to have you!

Latest Articles