The Fetal Heartbeat Bill Passes!

After over 20 hours of debate—including staying in session until 2 AM—we have passed the Fetal Heartbeat Bill. Once signed by the Governor, this legislation will drastically reduce the number of abortions occurring in our state and will stop SC from being an abortion destination state.

FC Member Rep. Melissa Oremus (Aiken) speaking for the Heartbeat Bill

For those who have followed the SC Freedom Caucus since our inception, you know that since the release of the Dobbs decision by the Supreme Court which overturned Roe v. Wade, the SCFC members have fought tooth and nail to pass the strongest pro-life bill possible to protect ALL lives from conception. 

In 2022, we stood up and drew a line in the sand that we would not concur with an unsatisfactory bill as watered down by the SC Senate. We were grateful that the rest of the House chose to stand with us to protect unborn children from conception and pass legislation that would actually close the abortion facilities. As a result, the bill went to conference committee, but unfortunately it died when the Senate would not agree to even meet.

This session in 2023, we again stood with Republican colleagues to protect life by sending a bill, the Human Life Protection Act, to the Senate that would clearly establish life begins at conception. Thankfully, the House overwhelmingly passed the bill and sent it to the Senate. But again, 6 “Republican” Senators killed the bill.

In an effort to save as many lives as possible, the Governor called us back in to special session on Tuesday to deal with this issue. Despite Democrat attempts to kill the bill with an avalanche of frivolous amendments, the SC House stood firm. Though the bill is imperfect it will save lives. 

South Carolina must protect the least among us, and we are proud that Republicans in the House stood together on this life-and-death issue. 

The South Carolina Freedom Caucus will now turn to the work of passing a full protection from conception bill. But for today, we are thankful that babies won.

Sincerely,

South Carolina Freedom Caucus