While it evaluates a challenge to the legislation brought by a Planned Parenthood affiliate and other abortion providers, South Carolina’s top court on Wednesday blocked enforcement of a state law barring abortions after around six weeks of pregnancy.
The five members of the South Carolina Supreme Court unanimously decided not to weigh in on whether or not Planned Parenthood is likely to win in the end. But they claimed that the state constitution might be violated by the ban.
According to the state’s constitutional ban on unjustifiable invasions of privacy, the court was unable to definitively rule on the Act’s validity at this early stage.
Planned Parenthood South Atlantic President Jenny Black stated in a statement, ‘We appreciate the court’s decision to safeguard the people of South Carolina from this inhumane statute that interferes with a person’s private medical decision.’
Although we are sad, it’s crucial to note that this injunction is only in effect for a short period of time, according to Robert Kittle, a spokesperson for South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson. ‘We’ll keep fighting for the legislation.’
Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on June 24 to reverse its landmark 1973 decision Roe v. Wade, which guaranteed a national right to abortion, approximately half of U.S. states are anticipated to seek to restrict abortions or have already done so.
A law prohibiting abortion in South Carolina was passed in 2021 when a foetal heartbeat was discovered, often at around six weeks. The law was initially blocked, but after the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in June, it was permitted to go into effect.
However, the 2021 statute explicitly specified that it did not remove the state’s earlier Roe v. Wade-codifying law from 1974. The state Supreme Court issued a provisional order on Wednesday and highlighted the potential conflict between the two statutes as one of its justifications.
Post Your Comments