May 2021 – On February 18, South Carolina joined several other states when Gov. Henry McMaster (R) signed the South Carolina Fetal Heartbeat and Protection from Abortion Act. Similar to legislation passed by several other states, this law prohibits abortions once a heartbeat can be detected, except in cases of rape, incest, or danger to the mother.
The bill also requires doctors to perform ultrasounds on pregnant women before an abortion is performed. Immediately after the passage of this bill, Planned Parenthood announced its lawsuit, claiming the bill is “unconstitutional.”
