Abortion bill stays in committee
A bill that would effectively outlaw abortion in South Carolina was shot down on Thursday in subcommittee after no vote was taken. Testimony, pro and con, went on for an hour and did the job of keeping the bill bottled up. H. 3526, by Rep. Liston Barfield and a number of co-sponsors, mandates that the state would consider a fertilized egg as a human life. This sort of definition would also end up banning some forms of birth control.
A BILL TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING ARTICLE 5 TO CHAPTER 1, TITLE 1 SO AS TO ENACT THE “RIGHT TO LIFE ACT OF SOUTH CAROLINA” WHICH ESTABLISHES THAT THE RIGHT TO LIFE FOR EACH BORN AND PREBORN HUMAN BEING VESTS AT FERTILIZATION, AND THAT THE RIGHTS OF DUE PROCESS AND EQUAL PROTECTION, GUARANTEED BY ARTICLE I, SECTION 3 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THIS STATE, VEST AT FERTILIZATION FOR EACH BORN AND PREBORN HUMAN PERSON.
Whereas, the General Assembly, under Article III, Section 1A of the Constitution of the State of South Carolina, 1895, is empowered to assemble to make new laws, as the common good may require; and
Whereas, Article I, Section 3 of the Constitution of the State of South Carolina, 1895, guarantees that no person may be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law or denied the equal protection of the laws; and
Whereas, the General Assembly in the exercise of its constitutional powers and in carrying out its duties and responsibilities under the law finds it necessary and proper to ensure that the rights of its citizens extend to each newly born and preborn human person. Now, therefore,
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. Chapter 1, Title 1 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
“Article 5
Right to Life
Section 1-1-310. This article may be cited as the ‘Right to Life Act of South Carolina’.
Section 1-1-320. (A) The right to life for each born and preborn human being vests at fertilization.
(B) The rights guaranteed by Article I, Section 3 of the Constitution of this State, that no person shall be deprived of life without due process of law, nor shall any person be denied the equal protection of the laws, vest at fertilization for each born and preborn human person.”
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
If you thought the hubbub over voter ID and the state sovereignty bills was something, this piece going to the House floor would induce epic fights. Indeed, even in the subcommittee meeting, Chairman Jim Harrison Greg Delleney and a person arguing in favor of the bill got into it.
That’s subcommittee chairman Greg Delleney, not Jim Harrison.
Ah, I bollixed that one up. Thanks for the catch.
Well, at least Rep. Delleney admits his choice is incremental regulation for abortion… Too bad he doesn’t have the will or the vision to completely end the holocaust of unwanted preborn babies in SC.
Is that like a little bit pregnant or incrementally getting pregnant?……Lucille
While I’m not endorsing their action, South Carlina legislators are probably worried that this bill would not pass constitutional muster in the current SCOTUS configuration. It might quite likely get struck down 5-4. But one of these days a conservative state needs to pass a law banning all abortions.