2 S.C. lawmakers to push for tougher state abortion law this year

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WCSC) — A pair of Upstate lawmakers are leading a charge to get what they call “sweeping and historic legislation” on abortion passed in the Palmetto State in 2026.

State Sen. Lee Bright, R - Greenville/Spartanburg, and State Rep. Rob Harris, R - Spartanburg, held Tuesday, the first day the South Carolina General Assembly reconvenes in Columbia.

As of Tuesday, abortion is banned in South Carolina when a heartbeat is detected - which is typically at around six weeks. Exceptions exist for rape, incest, fetal anomalies and to save the life of the mother for up to 12 weeks.

A bill that would have allowed South Carolina judges to sentence women who get an abortion to prison and restrict the use of IUDs as well as in vitro fertilization stalled in November.

One of the new proposals seeks to ban abortion entirely, granting civil and criminal protections to an unborn child at any stage of development. The bill includes only one exception — when the mother’s life is at risk.

Harris said the measure reflects his belief that life begins at conception.

“Clearly life begins at conception and should be protected from that point on,” Harris said. “In 2023, the legislature and governor raised the heartbeat law, which simply regulates abortion.”

Anti-abortion activist Abby Johnson also voiced support, saying stricter laws could have changed her own decisions.

“If abortion would have been legally deemed murder in my state of Texas, I would have never put my body on that table,” Johnson said.

Opponents argue the proposed ban is not surprising but say it disregards women’s autonomy.

“What I heard today was a lot of misinformation about who gets abortions, why they get abortions, and under what circumstances women should get the death penalty,” said Vicki Ringer, director of public affairs for Planned Parenthood South Atlantic.

The same group of lawmakers is also pushing to outlaw medical abortions using drugs such as Mifepristone. Senate Republican leaders have recently signaled concern over abortion pills and suggested they may take action.

Supporters of the bills say the measures are necessary to “end the innocent murder of the pre-born.” Opponents counter that medication abortions are safe and have been used for decades.

“Medication abortion is safe. It’s been around for 25 years,” Ringer said. “Having an abortion is safe.”

Lawmakers will hold a two-hour hearing on Wednesday at noon, with each bill receiving one hour of discussion.