South Carolina Panel Passes Bill to Stop Dangerous Abortion Pills
By a vote of 14-7 along party lines, the bill H.4760 to regulate abortion-inducing drugs advanced Wednesday night from the full SouthCarolina House Judiciary Committee to the full House.
The proposed law elevates abortion-inducing drugs from “prescription only” (such as antibiotics) to a “scheduled drug” (drugs with a high potential for abuse) and establishes criminal and civil penalties for unlawfully mailing, dispensing, and providing women with an abortion-inducing drug.
South Carolina Citizens for Life President Lisa Van Riper applauded the vote in favor of “passing this commonsense bill to address the dangers posed by internet and mail order RU-486 and other abortion-inducing drugs to women and their unborn children.”
Under the leadership of House Judiciary Committee Chairman Weston Newton, R-Beaufort, the full committee met late in the afternoon to consider the “abortion pill bill” that passed the Judiciary Constitutional Laws Subcommittee on January 15, 2026.
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Voting for the pro-life position in favor of regulating abortion-inducing drugs were Republicans: Chairman Newton, William Bailey, R-Horry; Thomas “Case” Brittian, R-Horry; Paula Rawl Calhoon, R-Lexington; Thomas “Val” Guest, R-Horry; Wallace “Jay” Jordan, R-Florence; Kathy Landing, R-Charleston; David Martin, R-York; Ryan McCabe, R-Lexington; John McCravy, R-Greenwood; Cody Mitchell, R-Darlington; Travis Moore, R-Spartanburg; Robby Robbins, R-Dorchester; and Paul Wickensimer, R-Greenville.
Voting against the bill and for the abortion industry were Justin Bamberg, D-Bamburg; Beth Bernstein, D-Richland; Jerry Govan, D-Orangeburg; Rosalyn Henderson-Myers, D-Spartanburg; John King, D-York; Jason Luck, D-Marlboro; and Seth Rose, D-Richland.
Those recorded as “not voting” were Chris Hart, D-Richland; Jeff Johnson, R-Horry; Tiffany Spann-Wilder, D-Charleston; and Spencer Wetmore, D-Charleston.
For those interested in watching the House Judiciary Committee hearing on H.4760, the video of the meeting is available here.
A bill becomes eligible for debate generally after it has been on the House calendar 24 hours. As with most pro-life bills, H.4760 most likely will be set for “special order”, meaning it will be debated on an assigned day.
Last week under the leadership of Subcommittee Chairman Wallace “Jay” Jordan, Jr., R-Florence, nearly two hours of testimony was heard for and against the life-protecting measure. SCCL President Lisa Van Riper emphasized that the law protects a woman’s right to information about abortion, alternatives to abortion, and medical supervision by a doctor licensed to practice in South Carolina. South Carolina law requires an abortionist to be licensed in South Carolina, obtain informed consent from a woman seeking abortion, examine her in person, perform an ultrasound, and offer information on alternatives to abortion. Mail-order abortion drugs circumvent South Carolina’s protective laws, Mrs. Van Riper said.
South Carolina Citizens for Life provided written testimony in favor of the law from pro-life doctors, nurses, counselors and moral educators. Testimony in favor of the law also was given by former State Representative Garry Smith; Dr. Tony Beam, Director of Church and Community Engagement at North Greenville University and the Public Policy Director of the S.C. Southern Baptists Convention; and Dr. Steve Pettit, President of Palmetto Family. The Diocese of Charleston also supports the bill.
Those speaking against the bill included staff from the abortion giant Planned Parenthood that operates two facilities in South Carolina. One is in Charleston and the other in Columbia.
Stay tuned for upcoming information about contacting your House member to support H.4760 when it is scheduled for debate.
LifeNews Note: Holly Gatling is the executive director for South Carolina Citizens for Life.
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