S.C. Senate tables near-total abortion ban bill

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WCBD) – The near-total abortion ban bill was tabled by a 22 to 21 vote Thursday, meaning they will not take action on it this session. This marks the third time in the last six months a state abortion ban has failed in the senate since Roe v. Wade was overturned last June.

The elected officials News 2 spoke with say they’re glad this bill failed, and some say though defending women’s rights is important, there are more pressing issues in the Palmetto State they should be addressing.

“I was just proud of the women in the South Carolina Senate that stood up,” Democratic State Representative Marvin Pendarvis said, “and I’m glad that we’re not going to see that that bill goes through this session.”

One of the women who stood up against the bill is Republican state Senator Sandy Senn.

“The women in the senate are very angry about this,” Senn said. “We feel that there’s nothing we can do to stop them from filing these bills, but until some of us get unelected, we can stop them.”

The bill sought to protect life at the moment of conception, banning nearly all abortions with exceptions for rape or incest through the first trimester, fatal fetal anomalies confirmed by two physicians and to save the patient’s life or health.

Five female Republican state senators stopped this latest attempt at a state-wide abortion ban through a filibuster where they highlighted more urgent matters they should be focusing on.

“Our infrastructure is terrible,” Senn said. “The increased building is causing flooding everywhere. There’s just so much we need to do, and yet, they continue to try and basically control women because they have such a male-run body.”

Pendarvis says with several states across the country taking action to ban abortions, he’s glad to see so many state leaders stand against this latest proposal.

“South Carolina Senate recognized that bill did not need to see the day of light,” he said, “and they were able to stifle it in its path.”

Senn says they they’ve defeated the bill this time, she anticipates similar bill to be proposed in the future.

“It’s going to come back again and again and again,” she said. “If you look at the Personhood website, their playbook is on there, and they are basically going to keep pushing until they have a total ban with zero exceptions.”

Senn says she’s willing to vote for no abortions after a woman’s first trimester because she say that is more reasonable than the last three bills that have been proposed.