The newly all-male S.C. Supreme Court grilled lawyers Tuesday over whether women have enough time to get an abortion after learning of a pregnancy in a hearing over a challenge to a new abortion ban. A similar ban was found to be an unconstitutional invasion of privacy earlier this year.
Lawyers presented arguments for the second time since the U.S. Supreme Court struck down federal abortion protections last summer and faced a new set of state Supreme Court justices after a change in the court’s makeup. Now retired Justice Kaye Hearn, the author of the lead opinion in January’s decision and the court’s only woman, left the bench soon after reaching the court’s mandatory retirement age. An all-male bench with recently sworn Justice Gary Hill heard Tuesday’s arguments.
A 3-2 majority in January tossed out a previous attempt at a so-called “fetal heartbeat” abortion ban, which drew the line at cardiac activity, which is about six weeks into the term and before most women know they are pregnant. Republican Gov. Henry McMaster recently signed a similar updated ban into law that again begins once cardiac activity is detected. The law was placed on hold as the case involving the new ban moves through state courts.
Planned Parenthood South Atlantic’s lawyer argued Tuesday there was no substantive difference between two laws that both limit abortions at the same point in a pregnancy. The previous opinion established that a roughly six-week ban violated the state constitution’s right to privacy.
“People are not sitting around taking a pregnancy test every day. They have jobs, they have children, they have other determinations. They are not regularly tracking their menstrual cycles,” attorney Catherine Humphreville said in an Associated Press report. “That does not change anything.”
The outcome of the new challenge will test the strength of the January ruling. All five justices wrote their own legal explanations for that decision in an unusual move that the state’s lawyers argue left that ruling devoid of any firm precedent.
Abortion remains legal through 22 weeks in South Carolina while the proposed ban remains locked in court battles.
In other headlines:
Brutal heat wave expected to spread across the South. An oppressive heat wave that has crippled Texas is expected to continue spreading east, reaching parts of Georgia and the Carolinas and threatening to raise the heat index to dangerously high levels in some areas.
CCSD approves $5k bonuses for teachers. The Charleston County school board unanimously approved one-time bonuses of $5,000 for teachers at its June 26 meeting.
New CCSD superintendent to get $275,000 per year. The Charleston County School District will pay newly hired superintendent Eric Gallien $275,000 a year, about $33,000 more than Gerrita Postlewait, Charleston’s previous superintendent, was paid.
Isle of Palms City Council discusses possible noise ordinance. During the Isle of Palms City Council meeting Tuesday evening, a major topic on the agenda was the discussion of a possible noise ordinance in the area.
Charleston-area distribution site eyed by global products giant Unilever. London-based Unilever Manufacturing plans to invest $90.6 million in Santee Cooper’s Camp Hall Commerce Park off U.S. Interstate 26, according to public documents.
James Island residents concerned by lack of lighting on connector. A lack of street lighting at the intersection on Folly Road and the James Island Connector prevents people from walking and riding their bikes safely, some residents say.
- To get dozens of South Carolina news stories every business day, contact the folks at SC Clips.
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