S. Carolina conservatives suggest almost total abortion ban

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — A House committee reviewing South Carolina's abortion law suggested Tuesday the state ban almost all abortions other than when the life of the mother is at risk.

The state currently has a ban at roughly six weeks that includes exceptions for rape and incest. After the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, conservatives in the General Assembly started to look if they could join the growing number of states banning the procedure.

The 12-member special panel voted nine to three with all eight Republicans joining one of the House's most conservative Democrats in approving the new bill.

“This is a huge opportunity for the state of South Carolina. For 50 years, we have been killing the unborn — the ones who don’t have a voice,” said Republican House Majority Leader David Hiott.

Everyone emphasized the bill has a long way to go through the legislature. It moves on the the House Judiciary Committee and then has to go through the whole process in the Senate. South Carolina's General Assembly typically meets from January to May, but allowed the special session to consider abortion.

But the vote was a big step in a state that just 18 months ago had a similar debate over abortion that ended with a law requiring an ultrasound and banning the procedure if cardiac activity is detected, which typically happens six weeks after conception. The law includes rape and incest exceptions after some Republicans suggested they could not support it without them.

The exceptions were quietly placed in the bill last year without an on-the-record vote.

Bill writers said they have learned from flaws seen in abortion bans passed before the U.S. Supreme Court decision. The proposal specifies what emergencies would allow an abortion, such as an ectopic pregnancy,...