‘Personhood’ Act of South Carolina (H 3584)

H 3584 would amend the South Carolina Constitution to define “personhood” as beginning at the moment of fertilization. It would give full constitutional rights to fertilized eggs, embryos, and fetuses, and would ban abortion, birth control pills, IUDs, and emergency contraception. In addition, it would eliminate certain medical choices for women, including some cancer treatments and in vitro fertilization, and might lead to the investigation and prosecution of women who miscarry to determine if their own actions caused the death of the fetus.

The bill states that “[t]he right to life for each born and preborn human being vests at fertilization,” and that “[t]he rights guaranteed by Article I, Section 3 of the Constitution of this State, that no person shall be deprived of life without due process of law, nor shall any person be denied the equal protection of the laws, vest at fertilization for each born and preborn human person.”

STATUS

This bill died in committee. It is nearly identical to four other bills introduced in 2013—H 3323, S 83, S 87, S 457—all of which died in committee.

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