South Carolina abortion ban at 20 weeks approved by lawmakers

South Carolina lawmakers passed into legislation on Tuesday, May 17 an abortion ban at 20 weeks, making it only legal if the pregnancy imperils the mother's life.

The House voted 79-29 in favor of the bill, which is expected to be signed into law by Gov. Nikki Haley.

"I can't imagine any scenario in which I wouldn't sign it," Haley said in March, as reported by The State. She stated that she wanted to look into the details of the bill for her final decision.

"I am so excited. This is something that we've been working on for four years," said the sponsor of the bill, State Rep. Wendy Nanney. She claimed that she and other lawmakers have pushed for the bill to protect a fetus that's assumed to already feel pain at the 20-week period since it's already past fertilization.

Nanney is also pleased that the bill has removed exceptions for cases of rape or incest that were included in its original version. The only case that would make the abortion legal past the 20-week timeline is if the pregnancy endangers the mother's life.

"In the case of the mother's life or the baby is deemed not going to live, I'm OK with (those exceptions)," Nanney said.

A day after the bill's passing, president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, Franklin Graham took to Facebook to praise the passing of the abortion ban.

"Good news — Yesterday the SC legislature passed a bill that prohibits abortion after 19 weeks. Now the bill goes to Governor Nikki Haley who has said she will almost certainly sign it. I pray that she will. That's a step in the right direction and will save a lot of lives," the evangelist wrote.

According to a Marist poll conducted in January 2015, 84 percent of Americans agree that abortion should only be done within the first three months of pregnancy or in the usual exceptions of rape, incest, and endangering the mother's life.

If passed into law, South Carolina will be the 17th state since 2010 to ban abortion at 20-weeks.