South Carolina is once again at the center of a heated national debate over abortion rights, as lawmakers prepare to consider Senate Bill 323—legislation that, if enacted, would impose one of the most sweeping abortion bans in the United States. The proposed bill, dubbed the 'Unborn Child Protection Act,' is scheduled for a high-stakes hearing before a nine-member Senate Medical Affairs subcommittee on October 1, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. in Room 105 of the Gressette Building in Columbia, according to both the American Civil Liberties Union of South Carolina and FITSNews.
Senate Bill 323, sponsored by Senator Richard Cash, aims to eliminate nearly all access to abortion in South Carolina. The bill would not only replace the state’s current six-week abortion ban—enacted in 2023 as Act No. 70, or the 'Heartbeat Bill'—but would go further by removing existing exceptions for rape, incest, and fatal fetal anomalies. In effect, it would criminalize abortion as homicide, exposing patients and providers to prison sentences of up to 30 years. The legislation also makes it a felony to provide information about obtaining an abortion via phone or the internet, and prohibits transporting a minor out of state for abortion care.
According to the ACLU of South Carolina, the bill’s reach extends well beyond abortion itself. It would redefine the legal status of contraceptives, excluding any method that prevents ovulation or the implantation of a fertilized ovum, and restrict in vitro fertilization by defining a 'human embryo' as any fertilized egg or zygote. The bill would also make it unlawful to possess any drug or substance that can be used for abortion, and require public school students to watch the anti-abortion video "Meet Baby Olivia," produced by the advocacy group Live Action.
Advocacy groups across the political spectrum are mobilizing in response to the upcoming hearing. The ACLU of South Carolina, Women’s Rights and Empowerment Network (WREN), Palmetto State Abortion Fund, League of Women Voters of South Carolina, and Planned Parenthood South Atlantic have all issued urgent calls to action. Courtney Thomas, Advocacy Director of the ACLU of South Carolina, described the bill as "unconstitutional and deadly," warning, "This bill would criminalize medical care, invade our privacy, and place unconstitutional restrictions on speech, travel, and association. Any lawmaker who cares about the health and safety of South Carolinians should be fighting tooth and nail to stop this bill."
Amalia Luxardo, CEO of WREN, echoed these concerns, stating, "This bill is dangerous beyond anything we’ve seen before. It doesn’t just ban abortion. It criminalizes doctors, censors information, and even opens the door for lawsuits against anyone who helps a pregnant person."
Meanwhile, Ashlyn Preaux, Executive Director of the Palmetto State Abortion Fund, highlighted the real-world impact of current restrictions: "South Carolinians are already suffering under the state’s cruel six-week abortion ban. Instead of listening to the people they represent, lawmakers are bowing to the extremist anti-abortion lobby. Our communities deserve compassion and care—not more dangerous, punitive laws that force people to stay pregnant against their will."
Lynn Teague, Vice President of the League of Women Voters of South Carolina, warned that the bill would "relegate everyone who becomes pregnant to the control of the state," urging all who care about civil liberties to oppose the measure.
Vicki Ringer, Director of Public Affairs for Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, pulled no punches in her assessment: "All abortion bans are deadly. They threaten the lives of pregnant South Carolinians and create a culture of fear that forces providers to delay or deny people access to time-sensitive care under threat of criminal persecution. But this heinous bill escalates those threats to an unprecedented degree. In no uncertain terms, our legislators are threatening to put patients who seek abortion care on death row and providers in prison for decades, all while reducing access to other essential reproductive care services, like birth control and IVF. It's a gross overreach of power into the personal lives of South Carolina families that cannot be allowed to move forward."
On the other side of the debate, pro-life advocates are rallying behind Senate Bill 323. According to FITSNews, Students for Life Action—a national anti-abortion group—has been instrumental in pushing for stricter abortion laws in South Carolina, even helping to unseat three incumbent Republican senators during the 2024 GOP primary elections. The group has made it clear that they expect lawmakers to advance the 'Human Life Protection Act' in the 2026 legislative session, warning of "severe grassroots headwinds" for those who fail to act.
John McCravy, founder of the South Carolina Family Caucus, recently challenged legislative leaders to "follow President Trump and Governor McMaster’s lead on protecting the unborn." In a statement provided to FITSNews, McCravy said, "Over 3,025 babies lost their lives to abortion in South Carolina in 2024—the fight to protect life is not over!"
The legislative landscape in South Carolina has shifted dramatically since the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, which returned the authority to regulate abortion to the states. South Carolina’s first attempt to restrict abortion after this ruling—a six-week ban passed in 2021—was struck down by the state Supreme Court in early 2023 due to privacy concerns. Lawmakers responded with the 'Heartbeat Bill' later that year, which was upheld by the court just four months ago. Yet, for many pro-life advocates, these measures do not go far enough.
The upcoming hearing on Senate Bill 323 is expected to draw passionate testimony from both sides. Public sign-ups for testimony have not yet opened, but written comments can be submitted to the Senate Medical Affairs Committee. The meeting agenda is available on the South Carolina Statehouse website, and the proceedings will include remarks from invited experts as well as members of the public.
As the debate intensifies, the stakes for South Carolinians—especially women, families, and healthcare providers—could not be higher. With the possibility of a total abortion ban on the horizon, the state’s political, legal, and social landscape may be poised for another seismic shift. According to both the ACLU of South Carolina and FITSNews, the outcome of this legislative battle will reverberate far beyond the walls of the Gressette Building, shaping the future of reproductive rights in South Carolina for years to come.
With the hearing just weeks away, all eyes are on Columbia as lawmakers, advocates, and everyday citizens prepare to weigh in on one of the most consequential issues facing the Palmetto State.