We need to talk about this bill that is actively trying to be passed in the state of South Carolina now. You might think that this doesn’t matter to you or even applies to you, but that’s not true. This is a serious problem, and if this bill passes, it could mean terrible things for many women. And you should know about to learn more and actively go against it; every person who disagrees with this is one less who agrees with it.

This bill is named SB-323, which stands for Senate Bill 323, also known as “Unborn Child Protection Act.” This bill was proposed in South Carolina in early 2025 by “Republican” senators Richard Cash, Billy Garrett, and Rex Rice. The only good thing about this bill is that it is receiving notable opposition and protests by many critics from medical and reproductive organizations. It should also be noted that this bill was proposed once before, but South Carolina legislators did not take it seriously since the way it was written was flawed, and it failed miserably. But this time, the bill is worrying South Carolina legislators much, much more, and actually could pass this time around. 

This bill  introduces a few state laws that are completely and utterly ridiculous. This bill enacts a few terrible things. For example, if this bill passes, it will allow the South Carolina government to completely control abortions. It also forbids women who want an abortion from going to another state to get it. It also forbids any type of abortion, even in cases of rape, incest, or even if the mother and/or the child won’t survive. This bill completely forbids all abortions, no matter what. Why should the government hold the power over someone’s body? This bill also makes abortions considered murder, which means that if a woman has an abortion and gets ‘caught’, they will be charged with murder, they could face up to 30 years, and people who help in the abortion will also face the same punishment. Doctors could also lose their license for something legal since it was made.

This bill also changes the term “Human Embryo” to “Fertilized egg,” also changing “contraceptive” to get rid of certain “contraceptives” like ‘IUDs’ and ‘morning after pills. If this bill passes, it could also allow other bills to completely ban birth control methods, including but not limited to male and female condoms, cervical caps, and even birth control pills. This bill also allows family members to sue anyone who helps in an abortion, which could include doctors or even the “mom.” 

The worst part about this bill is that it limits what you can know. South Carolina schools will be required to show a mandatory “anti-propaganda” video during sex education lessons. Schools will likely also be required not to teach birth control methods and sex safety. Another way this bill makes it a crime to provide information about how to get an abortion, including messages, email, calls, or even in person, especially for minors who are extremely limited and have almost no exceptions. Think of it like this: let’s say you have a crazy night with your girlfriend or boyfriend, and you or she gets pregnant since you can’t use birth control or don’t even know about it, and you can’t get an abortion because the government now controls your body. Now you are forced to have a baby that was originally an accident, all because the government wants to overstep its power and find any way to control the people. How would you feel if you or your girlfriend were in this situation? One teenage mistake turns into a lifelong mistake.

You may wonder why you should care or why this matters. Well, it does matter because once the government knows, they can take these major women’s rights away, then what’s next? Where does the government stop? Is it after women can’t vote, or maybe after women can’t go outside without a man, just like what happens in Afghanistan? In Afghanistan, women have pretty much zero rights; they can’t go outside without covering their faces or without their husbands. This is what will happen to the “land of the free” if Trump’s administration learns that they could pass anything. 10 years ago, we thought abortion was a natural right – one the government can’t take away – but now it’s a right that could be taken away. If this bill passes, we would take 100 steps back in women’s rights. This shouldn’t even be a possible thing that should even be considered, especially in the “land of the free.”