Subcommittee holds public hearing on total abortion ban bill

COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO) —Senate bill 1095 is calling for a total abortion ban across South Carolina. Should it pass, the bill would eliminate existing exceptions for rape, incest, and fatal fetal anomalies — as well as criminalize women who have an abortion and their healthcare provider.

On Tuesday morning, doctors, pastors, legislators, and local residents gave testimony during a public hearing around the bill before the Senate Medical Affairs Subcommittee inside the Gressette Building.

“The Heartbeat Law allows for babies conceived in rape or incest or who are medically limited to be murdered. And that’s an evil deed,” says Dr. Matt Clark, Executive Director of Personhood SC, who is in favor of the bill.

“These are not reckless people. They’re not criminals. They’re parents making decisions for their families in moments of real need,” says Ashlyn Preaux with Palmetto State Abortion Fund, who opposes the bill.

“You’ve been given authority by God to restrain evil and to punish injustice and to do it justly. To knowingly deprive true justice for the one murdered is not a practical political compromise, it is a dereliction of your duty,” says Pastor Kiley Waldrop with Gaining Ground Ministries, who is in favor of the bill.

“Obtaining an abortion, supporting abortion, or providing an abortion absolutely can be a sound theological, faithful decision. Scripture is nowhere near as clear or definitive about any of this than my colleagues have suggested this morning,” says Pastor Jenny McDevitt of Shandon Presbyterian Church, who opposes the bill.

“These moms know exactly what they’re doing, and they’re literally getting away with murder because of unjust bills that allow it,” says Matt Brock, Executive Director of Equal Protection SC, who is in favor of the bill.

“You can define for your own lives morally and logically. But to suggest that only your decisions, your moral reasons are the only ones…is difficult to listen to,” says Vicki Ringer, Director of Public Affairs for Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, who opposes the bill.

Simultaneously outside the State House, a number of local people and organizations met to protest the bill.

Carey Shofner with the Palmetto State Abortion Fund says the majority of people who access abortion care are already parents.

“We have the 8th worst maternal mortality rate in the country. We have 9th worst in infant mortality. We have an F rating from the March of Dimes. There are so many things in our state that we could be focusing on to truly help mothers and children, and none of these bills do that,” says Shofner.

“I’m not quite sure why they are so obsessed with women’s bodies. I mean, to me, okay, it’s fair play. Why don’t we regulate men’s bodies? No more Viagra,” says Julie Zimmerman, who is running to represent House District 71.

“If this were a men’s problem, if men got pregnant, we’d a had it figured out by now, ok? And I guarantee there wouldn’t be these bills passed to regulate men’s bodies like there are for women,” says Greg Rogers, who opposes S.1095.

A similar bill which would criminalize women for up to 30 years for having an abortion was rejected by a subcommittee last November. South Carolina’s current heartbeat law bans most abortions after around six weeks of pregnancy.