South Carolina S 781: Life Begins at Conception Act

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 781 Text of Previous Version (Jan. 13, 2026) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 781

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH 
CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ENACTING THE "LIFE BEGINS AT CONCEPTION ACT" BY 
AMENDING SECTIONS 44-41-630 AND 44-41-650, RELATING TO THE "FETAL HEARTBEAT AND 
PROTECTION FROM ABORTION ACT", SO AS TO PROHIBIT ABORTIONS AFTER CONCEPTION; BY 
PROVIDING THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY THE RIGHT TO INTERVENE IN LEGAL CHALLENGES TO 
THE ACT; AND TO RETITLE ARTICLE 6, CHAPTER 41, TITLE 44, AS "LIFE BEGINS AT 
CONCEPTION".

Be it enacted by the 
General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. This act may be cited as the "Life Begins at Conception Act."

SECTION 2. Section 44-41-630 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

 Section 
44-41-630. (A) An abortion provider 
who is to perform or induce an abortion, a certified technician, or another 
agent of the abortion provider who is competent in ultrasonography shall:

 (1) 
perform an obstetric ultrasound on the pregnant woman, using whichever method 
the physician and pregnant woman agree is best under the circumstances;

 (2) 
during the performance of the ultrasound, display the ultrasound images so that 
the pregnant woman may view the images; and

 (3) 
record a written medical description of the ultrasound images of the unborn 
child's fetal heartbeat, if present and viewable.

 (B) 
Except as provided in Section 44-41-640, Section 44-41-650, and Section 
44-41-660, no person shall perform or induce an abortion on a pregnant woman 
with the specific intent of causing or abetting an abortion if the unborn child's fetal heartbeat has been detected in 
accordance with Section 44-41-330(A)after 
conception. A person who violates this subsection is guilty of a felony 
and, upon conviction, must be fined ten thousand dollars, imprisoned for not 
more than two years, or both.

SECTION 3. Section 44-41-650(A) of the S.C. Code is amended to 
read:

 (A) A physician may perform, induce, 
or attempt to perform or induce an abortion on a pregnant woman after the fetal heartbeat has been detectedconception in accordance with Section 44-41-630 if:

 (1) 
the pregnancy is the result of rape, and the probable gestational age of the 
unborn child is not more than twelve weeks; or

 (2) 
the pregnancy is the result of incest, and the probable gestational age of the 
unborn child is not more than twelve weeks.

SECTION 4. The 
President of the Senate, on behalf of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House 
of Representatives, on behalf of the House of Representatives have an 
unconditional right to intervene on behalf of their respective bodies in a 
state court action and may provide evidence or argument, written or oral, if a 
party to that court action challenges the constitutionality of this act. In a 
federal court action that challenges the constitutionality of this act the 
Legislature may seek to intervene, to file an amicus brief, or to present 
arguments in accordance with federal rules of procedure. Intervention by the 
Legislature pursuant to this provision does not limit the duty of the Attorney 
General to appear and prosecute legal actions or defend state agencies, officers, 
or employees as otherwise provided. In any action in which the Legislature 
intervenes or participates, the Senate and the House of Representatives shall 
function independently from each other in the representation of their 
respective clients.

SECTION 5. 
Article 6, Chapter 41, Title 44 of the S.C. Code is retitled "Life Begins at 
Conception."

SECTION 6. If any section, subsection, paragraph, 
subparagraph, sentence, clause, phrase, or word of this act is for any reason 
held to be unconstitutional or invalid, such holding shall not affect the 
constitutionality or validity of the remaining portions of this act, the 
General Assembly hereby declaring that it would have passed this act, and each 
and every section, subsection, paragraph, subparagraph, sentence, clause, 
phrase, and word thereof, irrespective of the fact that any one or more other 
sections, subsections, paragraphs, subparagraphs, sentences, clauses, phrases, 
or words hereof may be declared to be unconstitutional, invalid, or otherwise 
ineffective. 

SECTION 7. This act takes effect upon approval 
by the Governor.

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This web page was last updated on January 13, 2026 at 12:42 PM