The Quickie: South Carolina Senate Passes Abortion Ban

Welcome to “The Quickie” — Planned Parenthood Action Fund’s daily tipsheet on the top health care & reproductive rights stories of the day. 

SOUTH CAROLINA SENATE PASSES ABORTION BAN: Last night, the South Carolina Senate heavily amended and ultimately passed House Bill 5399, a bill that started out as a total abortion ban but would now, as passed, ban abortion after about six weeks of pregnancy — before many people know they are pregnant. The new Senate bill doubles down on the state’s existing ban on abortion after around six weeks of pregnancy, which is currently blocked by the South Carolina Supreme Court. Vicki Ringer, Director of Public Affairs for Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, spoke about the dangers of this abortion ban:

“This bill was passed by men who believe they know best — men who believe they should have full control over women’s bodies and private medical decisions. Patients and providers alike are experiencing a lot of confusion and fear as politicians gamble with people’s lives and double down on cruel policies. This bill insults South Carolina doctors, questioning their expertise and interfering in best practices, and puts survivors of sexual assault at risk, further traumatizing them with mandatory reporting and forced DNA collection. Make no mistake: no matter how many narrow exceptions are written into this dangerous bill, it will cause chaos in the health care system and result in people being denied life-saving care. We’re talking about a fundamental human right, and no amount of amendments make this bill acceptable.”

Under the amended bill, survivors of sexual assault can only obtain an abortion up to 12 weeks of pregnancy if within 24 hours of the abortion the physician reports the alleged rape to the sheriff in their county and provides law enforcement with the patient’s name, contact information, and fetal DNA, irrespective of the patient’s wishes. Abortions are allowed in cases of limited fatal fetal diagnoses only if two physicians confirm the diagnosis. H.B. 5399 now returns to the House for consideration. If the House approves the Senate’s amended ban, it then goes to the governor for approval or veto, and would be effective immediately upon his signature.

More from Greenville News and the New York Times.

ABORTION RIGHTS OFFICALLY ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT IN MICHIGAN: Yesterday, the Michigan Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Reproductive Freedom for All (RFFA) coalition’s proposal to put abortion rights on the ballot in Michigan this November. The order came after the State Board of Canvassers failed to certify the measure last week despite the coalition submitting at least 596,379 valid signatures, well above the 425,059 necessary for certification. RFFA Communications Director Darci McConnell said:

“We are energized and motivated now more than ever to restore the protections that were lost under Roe. This affirms that more than 730,000 voters read, signed, and understood the petitions and that the frivolous claims from the opposition are simply designed to distract from our effort to keep the abortion rights we had under Roe for nearly 50 years.”

More from MLIVE.com and NBC News.

BIDEN ADMIN CHANGES XENOPHOBIC “PUBLIC CHARGE” RULE: Yesterday, the Biden-Harris administration finalized a new “public charge” rule, officially changing the inhumane policy that forced immigrants and their families to choose between their immigration status and sometimes lifesaving resources. The Trump administration expanded the previous “public charge” rule, which denied immigrants entry to the United States or an adjustment to their immigration status if they received, or were expected to receive, public benefits. The new Biden administration rule explicitly confirms these programs will not be considered for public charge determinations and clarifies pre-existing guidance to ensure that immigrants can access health care using their health insurance, including Medicaid, as well as access other critical resources. Alexis McGill Johnson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, celebrated this win: 

“The Trump administration’s public charge rule was a xenophobic policy that unfairly targeted immigrant communities. Everyone — no matter where they were born, their immigration status, or their ZIP code — deserves access to resources that allow them to provide and take care of themselves and their families. By changing the previous administration’s inhumane policy, the Biden administration took a critical step toward ensuring that immigrant families can receive basic public benefits, including health care and nutrition, without fear of jeopardizing their immigration status.  

“We look forward to working with the White House and Congress to continue eliminating barriers to health care for immigrants and ensuring a pathway to citizenship for the 11 million undocumented people living in the United States.”