A State Senator from the Upstate has sponsored an anti-abortion bill, that if passed would the most stringent legislation of its kind in the nation.
The Unborn Child Protection Act sponsored by Senator Richard Cash from Anderson County, has come under fire from abortion supporters and some pro life groups alike.
A State Senate Subcommittee chaired by Cash heard testimony from almost 80 people over the course of about 8 hours, Wednesday in Columbia. The bill is vastly more stringent than the current Fetal Heartbeat Bill that was signed into law in 2023.
The proposed bill would remove the existing exceptions for rape and incest. It also would allow for criminal prosecution of women who get an abortion. Additionally the bill calls for criminal penalties for those who told a woman how she could go about getting an abortion.
Tensions were high as protesters gathered outside and inside the room several people were escorted out of the hearing. Pro life groups like the Palmetto Family Alliance, South Carolina Citizens for life and Pro-Life Greenville all say they will not support the bill, as it is currently written.
Senator Cash did admit at the end of the meeting that the bill needs to be revised and improved.