Federal judge suspends S.C. new abortion ban

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster held up a bill banning almost all abortions in the state after he signed it into law on Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021, in Columbia, S.C. On the same day, Planned Parenthood filed a federal lawsuit to stop the measure from going into effect. The state House approved the “South Carolina Fetal Heartbeat and Protection from Abortion Act” on a 79-35 vote Wednesday and gave it a final procedural vote Thursday before sending it to McMaster.  (AP Photo/Jeffrey Collins)

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UPDATED 3:02 PM PT – Friday, February 19, 2021

A federal judge suspended a new South Carolina law which banned most abortions.

Just in: Federal judge halts South Carolina abortion ban

— Jamie Lovegrove (@jslovegrove) February 19, 2021

Reports on Friday said Judge Mary Geiger Lewis put a 14-day restraining order on the law, just one day after it was signed by the governor.

The order came at the request of Planned Parenthood, who filed a suit against the ban ahead of the signing. Planned Parenthood said the order was needed, as over 75 women in the state are scheduled to have abortions over the next three days.

ST LOUIS, MO – MAY 28: The exterior of a Planned Parenthood Reproductive Health Services Center is seen on May 28, 2019 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Michael B. Thomas/Getty Images)

A hearing is slated for March 9, on Planned Parenthood’s request that the law not be enforced until its lawsuit against the state is resolved.

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