South Carolina lawmakers introduced six bills related to restricting abortion access.

South Carolina lawmakers opened the 2026 legislative session by introducing six restrictive abortion measures, signaling a push to expand upon the state's existing six-week ban. The most sweeping proposal, Senate Bill 781 (the "Life Begins at Conception Act"), seeks to prohibit abortion from the moment of conception rather than after fetal cardiac activity is detected. Sponsored by Sen. Matt Leber, this bill would functionally eliminate nearly all abortion access in the state, maintaining exceptions only for rape and incest up to 12 weeks of pregnancy.

A significant portion of the proposed legislation targets medication abortion and out-of-state access. House Bill 4760 would classify abortion-inducing drugs like mifepristone as Schedule IV controlled substances, creating felony penalties for possession without a prescription and imposing prison sentences ranging from five to 50 years for providers. Concurrently, House Bill 4637 introduces a mechanism for private citizens to sue anyone involved in providing abortion pills and establishes criminal penalties for paying for or reimbursing the costs of an abortion performed anywhere in the country. These measures attempt to extend South Carolina’s legal jurisdiction beyond its borders, criminalizing the shipment of medications and financial assistance for out-of-state procedures.

Additional measures focus on funding restrictions and coercion protections. House Bill 4691 and Senate Bill 778 aim to permanently bar abortion clinics from receiving Medicaid funds for any services, including non-abortion family planning, while House Bill 4654 creates criminal penalties for coercing a woman into an abortion against her will. While all bills explicitly exempt pregnant women from prosecution, they place extensive liability on healthcare providers, manufacturers, and individuals providing financial aid. Currently referred to committees, these bills face an uncertain future but highlight a legislative intent to tighten restrictions beyond the "Fetal Heartbeat and Protection from Abortion Act" implemented in 2023.