COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO) — Starting today, South Carolina legislators are back in session – and the debate over hot topics is already underway. In a press conference Tuesday morning, leaders with the SC Family Caucus laid out their priorities for this session — including fighting for a total ban on abortion and the use of abortion pills. “Life is precious from conception to natural death,” says District 34 Rep. Sarita Edgerton. Members also planning to fight for easier laws on adoption, and stricter laws on gambling, marijuana, and liquor. “Are we going to be a state that continues our Christian conservative principles all these years? Or are we going to be a state that turns into a different vision?” asks District 13 Rep. John McCravy. And in a separate press conference, Senator Lee Bright and Rep. Rob Harris — two legislators with the group “Equal Protection South Carolina” — have now introduced a bill that goes further than South Carolina’s current heartbeat ban — and would mandate that life begins at fertilization. Should it pass, the bill would also treat abortions as murder, allowing women to be subject to current laws on homicide. “Besides giving legal permission for doctors to kill certain babies, the heartbeat bill gives the mother full protection against criminal or civil prosecution for the willful murder of her own baby as if she’s a victim,” says Harris. Vicki Ringer is the Director of Public Affairs with Planned Parenthood South Atlantic. “South Carolina has the 8th highest maternal mortality rate and 5th highest infant mortality rate. Not one single bill has been introduced by Republicans to address either one of those problems,” says Ringer. Ringer adds that she’s a Christian and elder in her church, saying, “You cannot say you’re a Christian out of one side of your mouth and then want to give women the death penalty for seeking medical care. Because they don’t believe if you’re dying that an abortion should be necessary.” A subcommittee hearing will take place on two ant-abortion bills at the Statehouse on Wednesday. Categories: Local News, News Tags: Abortion, ABORTION BAN, Equal Protection South Carolina, Planned Parenthood, SC Family Caucus ...read more read less