What is the South Carolina Personhood Project?

It’s an effort to place a question on the ballot in November, 2016, that will allow voters to amend the South Carolina Constitution to extend legal protection to preborn persons beginning at conception.

What is the process for getting that question on to the ballot?

Two-thirds of South Carolina state Representatives and Senators have to vote for the respective bills (Senate, S719, House, H4093) that have already been introduced to place this question on the ballot.

What does the question say and how will it amend the SC Constitution?

The question will ask: “Must Article I of the Constitution of this State be amended so as to add Section 3.a. to provide that the privileges and immunities of citizens of South Carolina and the United States shall not be abridged, so that no person shall be deprived of life without due process of law, nor shall any person be denied the equal protection of the laws. These rights shall extend to both born and preborn persons beginning at conception?”

What is the likelihood that this will pass if it gets on the ballot?

The exact same amendment was proposed as an advisory question on the GOP primary ballot in June, 2014, and it passed with almost 80% of the vote.

How can I find out if my state Senator and Representative are supporting this effort?

Go to our pledge signers page. This will show you who has signed a pledge of support and/or co-sponsored these bills. If your Senator or Representative has not done either, contact them, tell them that you are a constituent, and respectfully ask them to sign a pledge of support or co-sponsor the bill. The pledge can be downloaded here. If you do not know who your legislators are, enter your address at http://www.scstatehouse.gov/legislatorssearch.phpand their names will pop up.

Won’t the Federal courts strike down the amendment even if it is passed?

If a Federal court strikes down this amendment, that could be appealed all the way to the Supreme Court, setting up a direct challenge to Roe v. Wade, which was based in part on the idea that since the personhood of preborn babies had not been established in law, therefore these human lives were not protected as persons under the Constitution.

How would this amendment affect birth control or in vitro fertilization?

This amendment would not affect any type of birth control that acts solely to prevent conception, nor in vitro fertilization processes that do not destroy embryos.

What if someone claims that this amendment is unconstitutional and a waste of taxpayer dollars to litigate through the Federal Courts?

Roe v. Wade itself was unconstitutional, and it must be challenged like other wrong decisions such as Dred Scott. Since God requires that civil government establish  justice, it is a worthy and proper use of taxpayer money for the state of South Carolina to fight to stop the destruction of innocent human life.

Richard Cash / Personhood South Carolina / richard@personhood.sc / (864) 505-2130