South Carolina likely won’t make abortion rules stricter

By JEFFREY COLLINS
Associated Press

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina lawmakers have voted not to make changes to the state’s abortion laws after this summer’s U.S. Supreme Court decision. That means the rules on abortion likely will not become more restrictive. Instead, the representatives are insisting on a full ban on abortions, and contend that a bill that passed the state Senate is too watered-down. House members on Tuesday voted down the Senate’s attempt to reduce the amount of time that victims of rape or incest could obtain the procedure — from 20 weeks after conception to 12 weeks. Conservatives in the Republican-dominated General Assembly have been working to end abortion for decades and had called a special session earlier this year that they hoped would lead to a total ban.