Legislation

1990 Parental Consent: Minor girls under the age of 17 must have the consent of one parent, a legal guardian, or judge before an abortion can be performed.

​1994 Woman’s Right to Know and Abortion Clinic Regulation: The abortionist must provide women with basic information about the procedure including risks of and alternatives to abortion. Abortion facilities must meet basic standards of sanitation and medical competence.

​1997 Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act: The savage procedure of partially delivering a baby and killing the baby by stabbing her in the neck with scissors and sucking out her brains is banned in South Carolina. In 2007, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the similar federal law in a 5-4 decision.

​1998 Physician Assisted Suicide Ban Act: This legislation prohibits physicians and allied healthcare professionals from assisting patients to kill themselves. (SC Code of Law Section 16-3-1090)

​2000 Safe Haven for Abandoned Newborns Act: As amended, parents of babies up to 60 days old can leave the baby at a hospital, church, police station, or fire station without being prosecuted for child abandonment. (SC Code of Law Section 63-7-40)

2001 Choose Life License Tags Act: This Act provided South Carolina motorists with a Choose Life license plate that generates funds for pregnancy care centers. Planned Parenthood filed suit and the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the suit because the SC Legislature did not offer a pro-abortion license tag.

​2005 Autumn’s Law: Convicted rapists are prohibited from claiming parental rights if the mother chooses life for her innocent baby conceived in rape.

2006 Unborn Victims of Violence: This law recognizes an unborn child at any stage of development as an individual victim of crime if the baby is killed or injured during a criminal assault on the mother. (SC Code of Law Section 16-3-1083)

​2006 Choose Life Tag via the DMV: The law allows nonprofit organizations to apply to the DMV for a specialty license tag with funds designated to support charitable, nonprofit organizations.

​2008 The Ultrasound Act: Abortionists are now required to inform women they have the right to see the ultrasound of their baby before, during, or after the procedure.

​2010 24-hour Waiting Period Act: This Act requires that an abortionist provide women 24 hours after their initial consultation to change their mind before the actual abortion procedure.

​2012 Opt Out of Abortion Act: This Act exempts South Carolina citizens from paying for most abortions under ObamaCare.

​2012 Born Alive Infant Protection Act: This Act extends legal protection to an infant born alive after a failed attempt at induced abortion.

2016 Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act: This Act provides a compelling State interest in the unborn infant who can feel pain by 20-weeks post-fertilization and protects that child from abortion. Before this Act became law, abortion on demand was legal in South Carolina for all nine (9) months of pregnancy and for any reason.  (SC Code of Law Section 44-41-410)