Abortion ban faces exceptions fight in South Carolina House

(AP) - South Carolina House members plan to debate a new total ban on abortion Tuesday with no exceptions for pregnancies caused by rape or incest even as some Republicans in the GOP-dominated chamber suggested they can’t vote for the bill as written.

But if the exceptions are put into the bill, the chamber’s most conservative members could join with Democrats to kill the bill too.

On the day before the debate, one of the most conservative House lawmakers said 20 Republicans have signed his letter saying they would not commit to voting for the total ban with exceptions.

If those 20 vote no along with the House’s 43 Democrats, the bill would be defeated. If it passes, the bill would go to the state Senate.