COLUMBIA, S.C. — Legislation banning nearly all abortions with few exceptions is heading to the Senate for consideration after a third and final vote from House Lawmakers Wednesday.
"It's a sad day for women across this state," said Rep. Beth Bernstein (D- Richland).
"A person’s a person, no matter how small. Today is a great day in south Carolina," said Rep. Adam Morgan.
Wednesday's vote came after House Republicans added exceptions for pregnancies caused by rape or incest up to 12 weeks after conception.
The bill also allows abortions to save a mother's life, listing several medical emergencies that would be acceptable. However, it does not make an exception for fetal anomalies.
"This bill and this body makes a strong statement that South Carolina stands for life," said Rep. John McCravy, who has guided the legislation over the summer.
As the bill is written now, a doctor must report the rape to the county sheriff and has 24 hours after the procedure to give deputies the woman's name and contact information.
The selling, prescribing, or administering of any medicine or drugs with intent of causing an abortion is prohibited under the legislation.
While the bill does not include penalties for South Carolinians seeking an abortion, it says anyone who performs or assists an abortion can be charged with a felony.
"We don’t have enough doctors to deal with the children we have right now. We don't have enough teachers to deal with the children we have right now, we don’t have enough schools to deal with the children we have right now," said Rep. Germaine Johnson (D- Richland).
McCravy responded to Democrats speeches and concerns.
"In the process, we did identify some ancillary areas that need some work. One is streamlining the adoption process. The other is funding services for pregnant women that need those services," said McCravy.
On Tuesday, lawmakers approved two changes to the bill.
One change would require the biological father to pay fifty percent of the mother's pregnancy expenses. Pregnancy expenses must include 50% of the mother's insurance premiums that are not paid by her employer or governmental program beginning from the date of conception and before the pregnancy ends, unless otherwise ordered by the court.
If the biological father is a rapist, he would be required to pay for the full cost of any expenses incurred by the mother for mental health counseling arising out of the rape or incest.
The other change is wording designed to help the bill avoid the same legal challenges that led to the current block on the state's fetal heartbeat abortion law.
Senators are set to return next Tuesday to take up the bill.