Here’s how restrictive the new SC 6-week abortion ban is compared to the rest of the Southeast
Gov. Henry McMaster signed a so-called “fetal heartbeat” ban on Thursday, joining many southeastern states in passing restrictive abortion laws.
But how restrictive is the South Carolina ban compared to other states in the Southeast?
S. 474 prohibits abortions past six weeks — which is before many people know they are pregnant — while survivors of incest and rape have until 12 weeks of pregnancy to get an abortion. Planned Parenthood and its partners immediately filed a lawsuit the same day, aiming to block the law and prevent its enforcement.
Now, many South Carolinians will end up traveling out of state to receive an abortion, which reverses recent trends. Since September 2022, visitors from out of state made up close to half of South Carolina’s abortions, according to provisional data from the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control. This trend began after surrounding states started instituting more abortion restrictions once the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last year.
Here are the abortion laws in the Southeast, as of May 25, from AbortionFinder.org.
North Carolina: currently, individuals can get an abortion through 20 weeks and six days of pregnancy. However, a ban on abortions in North Carolina after 12 weeks of pregnancy will take effect on July 1.
Georgia: currently, most individuals cannot receive an abortion after six weeks of pregnancy. The state’s supreme court is currently considering the legality of the ban, according to AP News.
Virginia: with one of the most open abortion laws in the Southeast, abortion is available in Virginia before 26 weeks and 6 days of pregnancy.
Florida: currently, abortion is legal in Florida through 15 weeks and six days of pregnancy. In April, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a 6-week abortion ban, but it won’t go into effect until Florida’s Supreme Court decides a challenge of the 15-week ban, according to the NY Times.
Tennessee: complete abortion ban with few medical exceptions.
Alabama: complete abortion ban with few medical exceptions.
Mississippi: complete abortion ban with few medical exceptions.
Louisiana: complete abortion ban with few medical exceptions.
Arkansas: complete abortion ban with few medical exceptions.
This story was originally published May 25, 2023 at 3:15 PM.
