States press forward with 20-week abortion bans

Twenty-week abortion bans made progress through two state legislatures last week, just three weeks after leadership in the U.S. House of Representatives nixed a similar bill at the federal level.

Pro-life legislators in the South Carolina and West Virginia legislative assemblies introduced the bills based on model legislation produced by the National Right to Life Committee. In South Carolina, the bill passed in the House by an 80 to 27 vote. West Virginia’s House passed its bill 87 to 12.

This is the second year lawmakers in both states have attempted to ban abortion after 20 weeks gestation, when doctors say unborn babies feel pain.

Last year, a similar bill died in South Carolina’s Senate when the legislative session ended before lawmakers could vote. West Virginia’s legislators passed a 20-week abortion ban, the first law of its type to pass in a legislature controlled by Democrats. But, Democratic Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin vetoed the bill, citing potential constitutional issues.

Wanda Franz, president of West Virginians for Life, believes most West Virginians want this year’s bill signed into law.

“Scientific evidence shows that babies suffer pain from beginning at least by 20 weeks gestation,” she said. “The Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act would provide that protection.”

Ten states already have passed similar legislation, and Wisconsin pro-life legislators also plan to introduce a similar bill this legislative session. The bill follows “the national trend we’re seeing so far to protect pain-capable unborn children,” said Chelsea Shields, Wisconsin Right to Life’s legislative director. “People want to protect pain-capable unborn children.”