South Carolina Judge Pauses Six-Week Abortion Ban

What's the story?

• A South Carolina judge temporarily paused a statewide ban on abortions past six weeks that was to be enacted today. 
• Judge Clifton Newman ordered the law to be put on hold until the state supreme court reviews it. Newman's ruling came 24 hours after GOP Gov. Henry McMaster signed the bill. Now, the state will revert to its previous ban on abortions past the 20-week mark. 

The background 

• Yesterday, May 25, McMaster signed Senate Bill 474, known as the "Fetal Heartbeat and Protection from Abortion Act," limiting most abortions past six weeks into pregnancy — at which most are not yet aware they are pregnant. With this bill, South Carolina joined a long list of GOP-led states that are restricting abortion rights in the wake of the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade. 

What they're saying

• After signing the bill, McMaster said in a statement:

"With my signature, the Fetal Heartbeat and Protection from Abortion Act is now law and will begin saving the lives of unborn children immediately. This is a great day for life in South Carolina, but the fight is not over. We stand ready to defend this legislation against any challenges and are confident we will succeed. The right to life must be preserved, and we will do everything we can to protect it."

• Planned Parenthood South Atlantic's President and CEO Jenny Black said in a statement after the bill was signed:

"State lawmakers have once again trampled on our right to make private health care decisions, ignoring warnings from health care providers..."

• White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre also condemned the legislation, saying it is "an extreme and dangerous abortion ban" that "will criminalize health care providers and cause delays and denials of health and life-saving care."

Do you support Judge Newman's ruling to pause the six-week abortion ban?

-Jamie Epstein