SC Lawmakers Introduce Bills to Protect IVF with Bipartisan Support

Protection of IVF in South Carolina in Wake of Alabama Court ruling

In light of a recent ruling from Alabama’s Supreme Court; one which asserts that frozen embryos should hold the same legal rights as children, legislators from the state of South Carolina are seeking to protect in vitro fertilization (IVF) within their own state law. The consequences of the ruling in Alabama resulted in the temporary ceasing of infertility treatments by the University of Alabama at Birmingham health system. Such ramifications resonated across adjacent states, provoking concern among residents about the potential banning of IVF.

‘People Want to Have Babies’

“It’s not a Democrat or Republican issue,” states Rep. Chandra Dillard (Democrat, District 23) in a conversation with The Greenville News. “People want to have babies, and this is sometimes the only alternative for conceiving.” New bills for the protection of IVF have been filed in both the South Carolina House and Senate by a bipartisan group of state lawmakers. The lawmakers are seeking to ensure that such infertility treatments continue within their jurisdiction.

Stance of the House Bill and its Sponsors

The House Bill asserts that fertilized human eggs or embryos, which exist outside of the uterus, should not be classified as an ‘unborn child’ or any term that equates to a human being. Representatives from both sides of the political spectrum are stepping forth in support of this bill. Among them are Kambrell Garvin (Democrat, District 77), Heather Bauer (Democrat, District 75), Beth Bernstein (Democrat, District 78), Gilda Cobb-Hunter (Democrat, District 95), and Chandra Dillard (Democrat, District 23), along with Republicans Gil Gatch (District 94), Gary Brewer (District 114), and Jerry Carter (District 3).

The Senate Bill and its Advocates

The Senate Bill proposes the implementation of measures that would ensure appropriate preservation of eggs, sperm, or fertilized embryos, should the patients choose to do so. Sponsoring the bill are Senators Margie Matthews (Democrat, District 45), Brad Hutto (Democrat, District 40), Tameika Devine (Democrat, District 19), Penry Gustafon (Republican, District 27), Tom Davis (Republican, District 46), and Mia McLeod (Independent, District 22).

South Carolina’s Abortion Law and its Relevance

South Carolina’s abortion law currently prohibits the procedure post the sixth week of pregnancy. However, it does not provide any regulations or mention of IVF procedures. While the law does define an “unborn child” as “an individual organism of the species homo sapiens from conception until live birth,” it lacks clarity regarding its stance on IVF treatments. This discrepancy is motivating the bipartisan efforts to protect such assisted reproductive treatments within the state.

Achieving a Balance and Protecting Family Dreams

Lawmakers, along with the South Carolina public, hope to establish a reasonable balance between ethical considerations, legal provisions, and the desires of many to start families. By advocating IVF within the state’s legislative framework, they aim to prevent an Alabama-like situation from manifesting. “We are committed to protecting IVF so that what happened in Alabama will not happen to South Carolina families,” a statement of commitment from the South Carolina House Democrats asserts.