A proposed bill by a State Senator is being met with outspoken public opposition. Senator Richard Cash of Anderson County has proposed legislation that would make helping a pregnant woman get an abortion, a felony. Under his bill providing info on abortion resources via phone, email or other means of communication would carry a max prison term of a quarter century.
A group called Foundation For Individual Rights says, speech about abortion is protected under the First Amendment. The group is spending over $100,000 on 20 billboards around the State opposing the legislation.
The billboards began going up this week and read "Speech about abortion is free speech". Cash's proposed bill is seen as extreme even by his Republican colleagues. Most legislators do not expect the bill to gain traction.
Senator Cash responded saying the bill is not about limiting free speech but "what is at stake here is whether it will be lawful to kill an innocent human being in the womb."