A controversial bill in South Carolina seeks to allow executions for women who undergo abortions, marking a dramatic escalation in the state’s push against reproductive rights.
The proposed legislation, driven by Republican lawmakers, hinges on the concept of “fetal personhood,” which would grant fetuses at any stage of development the same legal rights and protections as born individuals.
If passed, this bill — the South Carolina Prenatal Equal Protection Act — would effectively impose a total abortion ban by equating abortion with murder.
Those who undergo or perform the procedure could face life imprisonment or the death penalty.
Currently, South Carolina enforces a six-week abortion ban, but this measure would outlaw the procedure entirely.
Exceptions are included for cases involving unintentional fetal death due to life-saving medical procedures or spontaneous miscarriage.
However, critics argue that such exceptions often fail to protect women.
This move reflects a growing trend in Republican-led states to restrict abortion access following the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. State Representative Rob Harris pre-filed the bill earlier this month, aligning South Carolina with a broader national push for fetal personhood laws.
Seventeen U.S. states have already established some form of fetal personhood through legislation or court rulings, according to advocacy group Pregnancy Justice.
In Georgia, for example, fetuses are eligible for tax credits, child support, and inclusion in population counts for redistricting.
The proposed legislation underscores the intensifying assault on women’s rights and reproductive freedom across the United States.
