COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina House voted 67-38 to advance a near-total abortion ban with exceptions for rape and incest late Tuesday, sending the bill to the Senate after an hourslong debate.
As it now reads after changes, the proposed House legislation — H. 5399 — now makes exceptions for rape and incest up to 12 weeks of pregnancy but does not make an exception for fetal anomaly.
The bill does allow doctors to perform an abortion if a mother’s life and health are at risk. The bill lists several medical emergencies that would be permissible.
