A group of lawmakers in South Carolina is considering what could become the most restrictive abortion legislation in the United States, a bill that would permit judges to sentence women who undergo the procedure to decades in prison.
The Bill's Radical Provisions
On Tuesday, 18th November 2025, a small subcommittee of the state Senate's Medical Affairs Committee began examining the proposal. The bill would institute a near-total ban on abortions, permitting them only when the woman's life is threatened. This marks a severe tightening of the current South Carolina law, which prohibits abortion after cardiac activity is detected, typically around six weeks, and allows exceptions for rape and incest up to 12 weeks.
The proposed legislation goes further than any other in the nation by threatening women who have an abortion, and anyone who assists them, with prison sentences of up to 30 years. In a move that alarms medical professionals, it also appears to ban any contraception that prevents a fertilised egg from implanting, which would outlaw intrauterine devices (IUDs) and potentially restrict in vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatments.
Broader Implications and Legal Chilling Effect
The ramifications extend beyond direct penalties. The bill would make it illegal to provide information about abortions, leaving doctors deeply concerned that they could not lawfully advise patients on options available in other states where the procedure remains legal.
Republican Senator Richard Cash, one of the Senate's most vocal opponents of abortion and the bill's sponsor, is leading the subcommittee. He has previously acknowledged issues with the proposal's potential impact on contraception and medical advice, but has given no indication of what specific changes might be supported. The subcommittee itself is dominated by Republicans, with six of its nine members belonging to the party.
Division Among Anti-Abortion Groups
The bill's extreme nature has exposed fractures within the anti-abortion movement. South Carolina Citizens for Life, one of the state's oldest and largest anti-abortion groups, issued a statement last month declaring it cannot support Cash's bill, arguing that women who have abortions are also victims and should not face punishment.
On the other side of the debate, groups like Equal Protection South Carolina are pushing for the harshest measures. Its founder, Mark Corral, stated unequivocally, "Abortion is murder and should be treated as such."
Even if the subcommittee approves the bill on Tuesday, its prospects remain doubtful. It must pass at least a half-dozen more legislative steps to become law. However, its progression to this stage is significant, representing the furthest any such proposal has advanced in the US since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022.
