SC Gov. McMaster pledges to sign bill that could ban abortion
An anti-abortion group says S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster has signed on to their pledge that “personhood” begins at conception.
Personhood SC announced Tuesday that McMaster has agreed to sign a bill that would give the unborn the full legal protections of a person, a move that would effectively overrule the right to an abortion in South Carolina.
Two ‘personhood’ bills were introduced in the S.C. Legislature last year – one in the House and one in the Senate – but neither moved past the committee stage.
Either would likely be challenged in federal court for interfering with abortion rights.
In August, McMaster issued an order stopping all state payments to any group or physician affiliated with an abortion clinic – even if the money would not be used to pay for an abortion.
That action was protested by Planned Parenthood and other women’s rights groups.
Bristow Marchant: 803-771-8405, @BristowatHome, @BuzzAtTheState
This story was originally published October 17, 2017 at 3:45 PM with the headline "SC Gov. McMaster pledges to sign bill that could ban abortion."