Senators discuss chances of fetal heartbeat bill passing in South Carolina

House Bill 3020 would prevent women, unless they were victims of rape or incest, from getting abortions after six weeks

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COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) — A bill that would ban nearly all abortions past six weeks in South Carolina moved from the House to the Senate.

As lawmakers go back and forth discussing the future of abortion in South Carolina, some Senators say House Bill 3020 shouldn’t be very high on their list of priorities.

“Women don’t want this and they don’t deserve us to be up here mandating how they interface with their doctors and others when making a very important decision,” said Sen. Brad Hutto (D-Orangeburg County). 

House Bill 3020 would prevent women, unless they were victims of rape or incest, from getting an abortion after a fetus develops a heartbeat.

The American Pregnancy Association says that generally happens six weeks after conception.

“This idea that you can do something in six weeks, some people might not even know by a six week period that they’re even pregnant,” Sen. Hutto said.

For Senator Richard Cash (R-Anderson County), who introduced a bill in the Senate this year that would make performing an abortion a criminal activity, the House version is on the right track when it comes to valuing all life.

“We all have equal rights to life from the time our life begins, so if you accept the premise or the science that human life begins at conception, then all life is deserving of equal protection under the law,” Sen. Cash said.

With only six days left in the legislative session, some lawmakers say this bill does not have enough momentum to pass in the Senate.

“I don’t believe there aren’t any votes for it. Women in South Carolina deserve the opportunity to interface with their doctors, with their faith leaders, with their families and make the best decisions that they, the women of South Carolina, want,” said Sen. Hutto.

Some say they like the direction the bill is heading.

“There’s a lot of interest in the bill. I’m not sure when we’ll take it up, but I do look forward to it,” Sen. Cash said.

House Bill 3020 is currently in the hands of the Senate Committee for Medical Affairs.

If passed, South Carolina would join states like Georgia and Kentucky who have passed similar legislation this year.