(TheRedWire.com) – A new bill in South Carolina would classify abortion as homicide, which would potentially mean that anyone who got the procedure might be eligible for the death penalty. The bill has been heavily criticized and nine of its co-sponsors have also pulled back their support.
Many anti-abortion organizations have blasted South Carolina for this bill. Spokespeople and representatives of these groups have also spoken to Newsweek against the attempt to criminalize women who got the procedure. They further claimed that it is unlikely this bill is going to be turned into law.
The South Carolina Prenatal Equal Protection Act of 2023, was first introduced in January and it proposes an alteration to the state’s criminal code where “person” would not be defined to include “an unborn child at any stage of development.”
If that change passes an unborn child who is aborted would be the victim of a homicide and thus the charges would potentially fall under the state’s “homicide laws” which include the death penalty. The law would also not allow for any exemptions in the case of rape or incest. However, there would be an exception in place for those who had an abortion because of “the threat of imminent death or great bodily injury” or if the abortion was necessary for the mother’s life to be saved. In South Carolina, most abortions up until the 22 weeks of pregnancy are allowed. However, there is a push for a six-week ban to be enforced.
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