SC Governor Signs Pro-Life Bill

Special Report - August 20, 2010
On August 18, South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford held a ceremonial bill signing at the Carolina Pregnancy Center in Spartanburg to sign a bill that requires women seeking an abortion to be given 24 hours to review information about the procedure and the gestational age of their child before undergoing an abortion. The bill, H. 3245, enhances the state’s existing Right to Know law by adding the longer waiting period. It passed the South Carolina General Assembly on June 16 and states, “No abortion may be performed sooner than twenty-four hours after the woman receives the written materials and certifies this fact to the physician or the physician’s agent.” South Carolina law now requires that a woman seeking an abortion must sign and date a form stating, “You have the right to review printed materials prepared by the State of South Carolina which describe fetal development, list agencies which offer alternatives to abortion, and describe medical assistance benefits which may be available for prenatal care, childbirth, and neonatal care. You have the right to view your ultrasound image." A woman may receive such information via mail or the Internet as long as she “verifies in writing” that she had the material 24 hours prior to the abortion procedure. Additionally, the State Department of Health and Environmental Control website is now required to link to pregnancy centers across the state that offer free ultrasounds.

South Carolina is the 24th state to implement similar waiting periods. Governor Sanford told Fox Carolina News, “It’s something that’s imminently sensible. I mean, it’s sort of a common sense measure.… Before an abortion, there ought to be a pause.” During the signing ceremony, Sanford stated, “Given current federal law, I think it’s imperative that a decision of this magnitude only be made with the fullest and most accurate knowledge available. It’s our hope and expectation that this new law results in a substantial decrease in the number of abortions carried out in South Carolina.”

Since at least 2003, a similar Woman’s Right to Know bill has been filed every session in the North Carolina General Assembly. None has ever received consideration. In 2009, HB 1044—Abortion-Woman’s Right to Know was sponsored by 48 members of the House, but did not receive a hearing in the Judiciary I committee to which it was assigned.

Related article:
Woman's Right to Know - July 2005

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