Bill that could imprison people who get abortions stalls; lawmakers split

A controversial South Carolina proposal seeking to impose severe criminal penalties on women who undergo abortions and potentially curtail the use of IUDs and in vitro fertilisation has stalled after failing to clear a key legislative subcommittee on Tuesday. Four of the six Republican members on the panel declined to vote, allowing the three Democrats to block the bill from advancing. The measure, which would prohibit all abortions except when a woman’s life is at risk, also carried some of the toughest punitive provisions seen in the US since the Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade in 2022, reported news agency AP. Republican Senator Jeff Zell, explaining why he refused to vote, said he aimed to curb abortions but believed the bill went far beyond what most residents supported. “S