H. 3245 passed the Senate today with a unanimous vote. I offered an amendment that had common ground to other members that don’t have the 
convictions of life that I do. The current bill required the mother to get her information from the abortion clinic. Those opposed to this bill had a problem with forcing the mother to drive far distances to the clinic, then have to return 24 hours later. The reasons I introduced this amendment was that I wanted to give the mother options of where she gets her information. She could go to the abortion clinic, her personal doctor, or crisis pregnancy centers. It is my hope that many mothers would visit a crisis pregnancy center. They will get loving scriptural council and assistance offered if she would like to keep her child.
Here’s some bullet points of the bill:
-allows mothers to obtain information from other sources (if from internet certificate must be on file with clinic)
-requires printed material and DHEC maintained website to have listed free ultrasound providers (if providers opt in)
-allows mothers to obtain ultrasound from other sources
-requires 24 hours from receiving information from other sources
-releases providers of free ultrasounds from liability
-prohibits future regulation of free ultrasound providers
-does not force cooperation of free ultrasound providers
-requires ultrasound to be used for 24 hour purposes to be verified by certificate or printed time-stamped image
It is my hope that the South Carolina House would concur with this bill. If not, we’d have a conference committee putting its ultimate passage in jeopardy.
Press release below: Abortion 24-Hour Waiting Period Passes Medical Affairs Committee
Waiting Period Gives Mothers More Time To Reflect
Columbia, SC – March 25, 2010 – The South Carolina Senate today passed a bill that extends the waiting period for abortions from just one hour to twenty-four hours.
South Carolina is currently the only nation in the country to have a one-hour waiting period for abortions – the shortest waiting period of all states with a waiting period. The new law would require a 24-hour waiting period upon the completion of an ultrasound or the giving of materials about abortion to the patient.
The extended period would give women a full day of reflection before making one of the biggest decisions of their lives. It is the hope of bill sponsors that the additional time to reflect on the risks of and alternatives to abortion will lower the number of abortions in South Carolina, help protect more unborn children and give mothers more time to consider the health risks.
The bill was ushered through the Senate by Senators Kevin Bryant (R-Anderson) and Mike Fair (R-Greenville) after being pushed out of committee by Majority Leader Harvey Peeler (R-Cherokee).
“Today South Carolina’s Senators, both Republican and Democrat, found common ground to protect our state’s unborn children,” said Senator Bryant. “Each child is a gift from God and a person should truly reflect on their decision before terminating its life. A lot of abortions are made during crisis situations and this new law would simply require mothers to stop and think for twenty-four hours before making such a life altering decision.”
Click here for a video statement from Senator Bryant. (coming soon)
“South Carolina should serve as an example to the nation on this issue, not lag behind more liberal states,” Senator Fair said. “No one knows how many babies will be saved if we extend the waiting period to 24 hours. All we know is that some mothers will decide to deliver their baby. That’s enough for me and I’m happy that it was enough for the State Senate.”
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