June 4, 2025
There’s no question that South Carolina is a pro-life state.
After all, voters in the Palmetto State overwhelmingly rejected the pro-abortion platform pushed by former Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz in the 2024 election, making it clear that abortion extremism has no place in the state.
Not to mention, the South Carolina Supreme Court took action just weeks ago as it upheld the Fetal Heartbeat and Protection from Abortion Act on May 14th, which protects preborn Life the moment a child’s heartbeat is detected.
So why is it so hard to pass a bill that protects preborn babies from the moment of Conception? With a Republican supermajority and voters demanding action, there’s no excuse—just weak leadership and political games.
The Human Life Protection Act, sponsored by Rep. John McCravy, had a hearing on March 4th in the House Judiciary Committee’s Constitutional Laws Subcommittee, where the bill was held up by House Judiciary Chairman Rep. Weston Newton. House Speaker G. Murrell Smith Jr. also refused to bring the bill to a vote.
Disturbingly, this Life at Conception bill has previously passed twice out of Committee in prior sessions, leaving no valid excuse for legislators to deny it a vote this year.
Speaker Smith and Rep. Newton love to claim they’re pro-life when it’s convenient, but when it comes time to actually protecting Human Life at Conception, they disappear. Speaker Smith even added his name as a sponsor of the Human Life Protection Act.
Who sponsors a bill and refuses to bring it to a vote?
This inaction led Students for Life Action (SFLAction) to launch coordinated efforts in the Palmetto State, urging Rep. Newton and Speaker Smith to bring the Human Life Protection Act to a floor vote.
SFLAction mobilized pro-life students across the state to flood both Representatives with calls, texts, and emails. We also went from door-to-door in their districts and organized multiple lobbying days at the State House.
Last year, we also took down the infamous “Sister Senators” who blocked pro-life protections—replacing them with fearless, pro-life fighters who don’t cower and agree to listen to their constituents. Speaker Smith and Rep. Newton will be remembered in the next election.
In addition, former Planned Parenthood director and now pro-life advocate Abby Johnson, as well as SFLAction and Students for Life of America (SFLA) president Kristan Hawkins, sent a letter to both Speaker Smith and Rep. Newton urging them to hold a vote.
There unsurprisingly was no response. After all, Rep. Newton went after SFLAction on Facebook, claiming we’re part of the “D.C. Swamp” and that we showed up in South Carolina to “raise money for the Swamp.”
On the other hand, Speaker Smith represented Planned Parenthood in a 2015 case involving an alleged botched abortion, raising questions among pro-life advocates about his commitment to Life.
But SFLAction refused to back down.
On May 7th, 2025, just one day before South Carolina’s legislative session ended, SFLAction held a news conference at the State House urging a vote on the Human Life Protection Act.
Hawkins was joined by State Representative John McCravy and Former Arkansas State Senator Jason Rapert, who now serves as President of the National Association of Christian Lawmakers. Together, they condemned Speaker Smith Jr. and Rep. Weston Newton for stalling the bill.
Not only did they stall the bill—they also stood by as the GOP caucus attacked Rep. McCravy for the “crime” of prioritizing the lives of South Carolinians in the womb.
The legislature ended session on May 8th without voting on the Life at Conception bill.
When they returned May 28th, lawmakers brought up an amendment to vote for the bill. But did they vote on it? No.
Instead, they voted to give themselves an 80% pay raise, while they left preborn babies to die and ignored their constituents who want Life protected at Conception.
READ MORE: South Carolina Voters Want Life Protected at Conception
What kind of leadership is this?
Fortunately, under South Carolina’s carry-over rules, the Human Life Protection Act still has a chance—it should return next year.
However, if Speaker Smith and Chairman Newton continue to betray preborn babies, they should expect to be challenged and replaced by pro-life champions, just like what happened to the “Sister Senators.”
If lawmakers claim to be pro-life, they should start acting like it.