Life Begins at Conception Act

2025-2026 Bill 781: Life Begins at Conception Act - South Carolina Legislature Online

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026
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S. 781
STATUS INFORMATION
General Bill
Sponsors: Senator Leber
Document Path: LC-0345VR26.docx
Introduced in the Senate on January 13, 2026
Currently residing in the Senate Committee on
Medical Affairs
Summary: Life Begins at Conception Act
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

Date

Body

Action Description with journal page number

1/13/2026

Senate

Introduced and read first time (
Senate Journal-page 50
)

1/13/2026

Senate

Referred to Committee on
Medical Affairs
(
Senate Journal-page 50
)

View the latest
legislative information
at the website
VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
01/13/2026

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".

B
e it enacted by the
General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

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

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

S
ection
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.

S
ECTION 3.
S
ection
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 detected
conception
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.

S
ECTION 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.

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

S
ECTION 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.

S
ECTION 7. This act takes effect upon approval
by the Governor.

----XX----

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