South Carolina Supreme Court OKs heartbeat abortion ban, reversing course

COLUMBIA, S.C. (BP) – South Carolina’s Supreme Court upheld the state’s latest fetal heartbeat abortion ban Aug. 23, although the court in January struck down a previous and nearly identical version of the ban. Both bills limit abortion after the detection of a fetal heartbeat with exceptions, including to save the mother’s life and in cases of rape, incest and fetal abnormalities. Both bills allow for criminal penalties for doctors and patients. The new law goes further in protecting the life of the unborn, limiting to 12 weeks of pregnancy...