Filibuster prevents abortion vote in SC Senate

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WCSC) - A push to ban abortion from conception in South Carolina, and enact one of the most restrictive laws in the country, is now seemingly done for the year.

Opponents of the bill filibustered it for hours on the Senate floor Wednesday led by Sen. Sandy Senn (R-Charleston) and four other female state senators.

Three attempts to end the filibuster all failed and the Senate adjourned without a final vote on the bill.

In a statement, Senate Republican Leader Shane Massey says this shows there are not enough votes to pass the ban from conception in the Senate and that he doesn’t believe the results will change.

Massey is now calling on House members to pass the Senate’s abortion bill, a six-week ban, which House members have been unwilling to take up so far.

South Carolina Speaker of the House Murrell Smith said he didn’t know the next steps in his chamber.

“I don’t know that answer yet,” Smith said. “I obviously have not followed the debate, I’ve been involved in our own debate over here. But I can tell you the House is always going to evaluate its options to protecting life. We’re not committing to anything, and we’re not foreclosing on anything. The only commitment we have, is we have a commitment in this body to protect life.”

With only seven days left in South Carolina’s legislative session time is running out for lawmakers to pass tighter abortion restrictions this year.

Debate on the bill will continue at 11 a.m. Thursday when the Senate session begins.

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