South Carolina's House of Representatives has passed a bill banning abortion at six weeks.
It will now go to the Senate, where the measure actually started. It was amended Wednesday by House Representatives, following 24 hours of debate in a special session called by Gov. Henry McMaster.
South Carolina is the only southern state that has not already enacted stricter rules on abortion since the fall of Roe v. Wade. That's due to disagreement on how far to go, as well as opposition by a group of five female lawmakers, calling themselves the Sister Senators. They're threatening to filibuster the bill that just cleared the House.
In other recent abortion news, North Carolina doubled down on a 12-week abortion ban.
The Republican-led legislature used its supermajority to overrode Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper's veto of the measure. Before the override, state law banned abortions after 20 weeks, with no exceptions for rape or incest.
On the other hand, some of the most lenient abortion legislation has been made in Florida, which bans abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, and Virginia, which bans abortions after 26 weeks.
Meanwhile, regarding the abortion pill, mifepristone — Supreme Court justices agreed to stay a decision on the steps of the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans, per Scripps News' National Correspondent Alex Miller.
Records show there were four years between the FDA application and approval for the pill. However, anti-abortion advocates say it was approved too quickly and is not safe for women.
Although the appeals court won't give a decision right away, it will still likely bounce back up to the Supreme Court in the future.
Johannah Grenaway
