Our thoughts on the Hutto-Amended Dismemberment Bill...

What happened in the SC Senate yesterday?

The Senate met late into the night and gave second reading to a significantly altered Dismemberment Bill. Ironically, the amendment was offered as a ploy by staunchly pro-abortion Democrat senator Brad Hutto. As the bill stands, it prohibits all abortions in the state except in cases of rape, incest, and life of the mother. If passed as it currently reads (the full text of the bill is below), the bill would end abortion on demand in South Carolina. The bill, as we understand it, is still amendable on third reading and will likely be filibustered by the same senator who put up the amendment that passed. Follow today's session here; it is scheduled to begin at 11:00 a.m.

Please keep in mind that this amended bill is not the Personhood Act of South Carolina. The Personhood Act offers a more thoughtful and foundational challenge to Roe vs. Wade and would not contain the unwelcome exceptions that are currently offered in the Hutto-Amended Dismemberment Bill. We still have work to do today and would urge you to contact your senators asking them to give the Personhood Act of South Carolina, S217, special order.

We are thankful to see the Lord at work in the hearts and minds of our senators in the past few days. We particularly commend the conscientious and thoughtful work of Senator Richard Cash, who argued eloquently for the protection of all preborn children in the womb. Though we see flaws in H3548, we do ask you to pray for its passage, if the Lord wills. This bill will not in any way halt the need for the Personhood Act. We must be mindful that all image-bearers have an unalienable right to life and deserve equal protection under the law without exceptions. That is the purpose of the Personhood Act, and we continue to urge its passage.

Finally, please join us tomorrow in fasting and praying on behalf of all the preborn babies of our state and nation.

Sincerely in Christ,

Personhood South Carolina Board of Directors

office@personhood.sc

864.384.8770

A BILL

TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, TO ENACT THE "SOUTH CAROLINA UNBORN CHILD PROTECTION FROM DISMEMBERMENT ABORTION ACT" BY ADDING ARTICLE 6 TO CHAPTER 41, TITLE 44 SO AS TO PROHIBIT DISMEMBERMENT ABORTIONS, WITH EXCEPTIONS, AND TO DEFINE RELEVANT TERMS; TO PROVIDE FOR INJUNCTIVE RELIEF AND CIVIL REMEDIES TO ENFORCE THE PROVISIONS OF THE ARTICLE; TO CREATE CRIMINAL PENALTIES; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

Amend Title To Conform

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. Chapter 41, Title 44 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Article 6

South Carolina Unborn Child Protection from Abortion Act

Section 44-41-610. This article may be cited as the South Carolina Unborn Child Protection from Abortion Act.

(A) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, it is unlawful for a physician to knowingly perform or attempt to perform an abortion and thereby kill an unborn child unless necessary to prevent serious health risk to the unborn child's mother. 'Serious health risk to the unborn child's mother' means that in reasonable medical judgment she has a condition that so complicates her medical condition that it necessitates the abortion of her pregnancy to avert her death or to avert serious risk of substantial and irreversible physical impairment of a major bodily function, not including psychological or emotional conditions. No such condition may be determined to exist if it is based on a claim or diagnosis that the woman will engage in conduct which she intends to result in her death or in substantial and irreversible physical impairment of a major bodily function.

(B) As used in this section:

(1) 'Abortion' means the intention of causing the death of an unborn child.

(2) The term 'physician' means a physician, surgeon, or osteopath authorized to practice medicine in this State and licensed pursuant to Chapter 47, Title 40. However, an individual who is not a physician, but who directly and knowingly performs an abortion is also subject to the provisions of this section.

Section 44-41-620. Nothing in this article shall be construed as creating or recognizing a right to abortion, nor a right to a particular method of abortion."

SECTION 2. If any section, subsection, paragraph, subparagraph, sentence, clause, phrase, or word of this act is for any reason held to be unconstitutional or invalid, such holding shall not affect the constitutionality or validity of the remaining portions of this act, the General Assembly hereby declaring that it would have passed this act and each and every section, subsection, paragraph, subparagraph, sentence, clause, phrase, and word thereof, irrespective of the fact that any one or more other sections, subsections, paragraphs, subparagraphs, sentences, clauses, phrases, or words hereof may be declared to be unconstitutional, invalid, or otherwise ineffective.

SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.