[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6335269,"mediaKeyId","2290206-be35abda664ee4e52c496e900ba91aea","parentId",2290206,"title","Senator Cash introduces bill to revise abortion-related definitions, cites prior ‘heartbeat’ law","audioSeconds",262,"startMs",1332000,"endMs",1594000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2290206-be35abda664ee4e52c496e900ba91aea&start=1332&end=1594","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2290206-be35abda664ee4e52c496e900ba91aea/thumbnail_1332000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6335269/South-Carolina/Senator-Cash-introduces-bill-to-revise-abortion-related-definitions-cites-prior-heartbeat-law","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6335269-627d3549ce84e8cf12a46c5ea55fdc82/orig.mp4?Expires=1771199382&Signature=QBC237i5PSAXlD4icyfvYInBVhVfLp5WXLjjDENGDrNOw-IZfSPsNaVZL980fHDigVFhUTrevurupwYLfO22lMlUG5RD5iZkEB8L1X56ydby4PtxlkQCk5ZSNXwZ7lEyjlGgqj0m0q8NbhXBY6c7RtWKPjWp1T6q-Gc59aPjUKra~Xox-3jSH4WIZ8h323KYhf4aZZTHAqHyx~Y4GQToMbt93-RlP9QG5IL9Bfz~AzIsSRcF4M3TjJ49fpWDr5APKt4Y0scioI~OrGikNbn-y~AAy6-m8xJeINLzfC3fbYupav3sjKLFu6JxLaDnMPvy7oLVcrCigcbdj-vExd7iiA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","South Carolina Legislature","date","2025-02-06T00:00:00Z","article","Senator Cash introduced legislation to amend definitions in the South Carolina Code of Laws related to abortion, proposing new statutory definitions for “abortifacient” and “contraception,” changes to the definition of “contraceptive,” and deletion of the definitions of “fetal fatal anomaly” and “fetal heartbeat.”

In floor remarks, Senator Cash tied the proposal to the chamber’s earlier “heartbeat” legislation and to the shift in abortion law authority after Roe v. Wade. “In 02/2023, we passed the heartbeat bill in this chamber,” he said, and described a decline in the recorded number of abortions in the final months of 2023 compared with earlier numbers. He framed the new measure as an effort to ensure state law reflects the belief that legal protection should begin at fertilization: “For those of you who believe that a human life begins at conception, it deserves legal protection because the right to life is the foremost of unalienable rights.”

Senator Cash said he had expected other lawmakers to reintroduce the Human Life Protection Act but that he prepared his own bill—which he described as the “onboard child protection act”—and urged the body and lawmakers across the hall to give the matter “serious and due consideration.”

The reading clerk announced the bill was referred to the Medical Affairs Committee. Senator Cash’s remarks were introductory; no committee action or floor votes were recorded on the bill during this session.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Session February 06, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Senator Cash introduced a bill to revise abortion-related statutory definitions, including adding definitions for “abortifacient” and “contraception” and deleting definitions for “fetal fatal anomaly” and “fetal heartbeat.”","taxTitle","Senate, Committees, Legislative, South Carolina","taxId",17489,"location","South Carolina","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":44,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6335274,"Senator Cash introduces ‘Free to Speak Act’ to limit use of pronouns in public schools",169,1163000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2290206-be35abda664ee4e52c496e900ba91aea&start=1163&end=1332","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2290206-be35abda664ee4e52c496e900ba91aea/thumbnail_1163000.jpg","/articles/6335274/South-Carolina/Senator-Cash-introduces-Free-to-Speak-Act-to-limit-use-of-pronouns-in-public-schools","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6335274-ecc46439ac1121c365315d930936a3b4/orig.mp4?Expires=1771199382&Signature=baoIhrcgUvJR5~Hjl-GEXd0IV-zRsPKAhegTiHBrEoxe~L9lZnkno4qQMqacY~5aO88RtCZHR7ZLtDpp45lyXHriw2Tu2y0NYQTDKD~-~INPrl-~D14yx6qc6O73rDElM8CB53RHGFPwE-Q1MZPD3koCmRyJsI0PR2nb93gGy7MCsfOpQbxC7dp~wk0Y6uz~8S2tD5lIiHyK1lC6~WPS0Hh~wwxIFGNLOKmSKKffRobTwZ-7yvc9dmFnX-90EzE8LHyHhjLWvlyxxnPhO-sv-fxfHlCkyn8YAuRcKm6aMz-yy5aVZ94aXYuPZ-ZvUOB7OG8MBgF6bSziNU--8CTX3g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senator Cash introduced the Free to Speak Act on the Senate floor, a bill that would amend the South Carolina Code of Laws to prohibit public school employees from “knowingly and intentionally addressing an unemancipated minor who is a student of the school where the employee is employed by the pronoun or title that is inconsistent with a student's” biological sex without the student’s parent or guardian providing written permission.

The bill would also protect K–12 and higher education employees from adverse employment actions if they decline to identify or state their pronouns, and would shield students from disciplinary action for refusing to provide or identify their pronouns. “This bill is titled the Free to Speak Act. It might also could be titled the Free to Not Speak Act,” Senator Cash said in introductory remarks. “Basically, what it does is it protects employees in K–12 and in higher education from having to identify for whatever purpose their pronouns.”

Senator Cash said the measure also protects those who refuse to address someone using a pronoun or title inconsistent with that person’s “biological” sex, and that the bill already had about 10 cosponsors. He provided copies of the text for colleagues and asked senators to consider cosponsorship. “Free to speak, free to not speak, free to address someone as, as you believe, corresponds to reality as you understand it,” he said.

The reading clerk announced that the bill was formally introduced and referred to the Education Committee for consideration. No further debate or votes on the measure were recorded in this session.

The introduction and referral occurred during the Senate’s introduction of new bills; the measure will proceed through committee review before any floor action.","Senator Cash introduced the Free to Speak Act on the Senate floor, a bill that would ban public school employees from addressing a student by a pronoun or title inconsistent with the student’s biological sex without written parental permission.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6335264,"Senate adopts uncontested calendar items; Rule 39 point of order sustained on several bills",116,1766000,1882000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2290206-be35abda664ee4e52c496e900ba91aea&start=1766&end=1882","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2290206-be35abda664ee4e52c496e900ba91aea/thumbnail_1766000.jpg","/articles/6335264/South-Carolina/Senate-adopts-uncontested-calendar-items-Rule-39-point-of-order-sustained-on-several-bills","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6335264-2f4d16fda282930a35cc99b094b59519/orig.mp4?Expires=1771199382&Signature=WW5ZSyh7kiaPOCQE6Q1MbUIKFndMLxedykG6y2idsOrPJR491PAeZHhP6dbOvYOfzv0opMBWwja9oTGnYmvlEqWPcXOVJzCfSJ4Q1WgFY9c12F6TXFF1TyDB2oD8lIFGvrnUFs5gX83kveaCZmng7Z1Z3tOeKXWOiVKbDMLLI6eoYkvCtTby83N118z092aRvV4JaGizisvIijVSCGFiytu2C5Kk6io6PI~xtaUP4kzd0SCho-gApUxqa1-cUdIuc5IiCSJsHQH~58ZqaN9zk6m5cbRscnxvXLXTIpvibCZOKJfLy7ovKtNIrJC9bwNXM-p2y~sGTl2TIISXCzqScA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The South Carolina Senate completed its uncontested statewide calendar, giving third reading and approval to several measures and adopting resolutions with no recorded roll-call tallies in the transcript.

On third reading, the Senate approved H 3727, a bill by Representative Newton adopting revised Code volume 9 of the South Carolina Code of Laws to the extent of its contents as of Jan. 1, 2025. The reading clerk announced: “Pending question is third reading of H3727. All in favor, please say aye. Opposed, no. Ayes have it. The bill is given a third reading.”

The Senate likewise ordered third reading for S 167, the South Carolina Waterways Protection Act, establishing a South Carolina Waterways Protection Fund and authorizing revenues in that fund to be expended for specified purposes; the clerk announced the ayes had it and S167 was ordered for third reading.

The Senate adopted S 312, a resolution declaring Feb. 19, 2025, as Professional Engineers Day in South Carolina, and adopted concurrent resolution H 3724 recognizing National FFA Week and South Carolina FFA members. The reading clerk recorded both adoptions: “Ayes have it. The resolution is adopted.”

A point of order was raised under Senate Rule 39 regarding a group of bills (including S 28, S 29, S 35, S 38, S 74, S 143, S 180 and S 271) that had not been on the calendar the required amount of time. The point of order was sustained and those bills were removed from consideration under Rule 39 for this session. Senator Corbin made the point of order; the chair sustained it.

The Transportation Committee reported favorably on a statewide appointment to the Department of Transportation Commission, at-large seat, for Dr. James Bridal Blackwell of Rock Hill; the floor record shows the committee report was received. The clerk also announced there were 36 members present at the time the roll call was completed; a quorum was present.

Where the clerk recorded voice votes, no numerical roll-call tallies were listed in the transcript excerpt.","The Senate gave third reading to uncontested bills and adopted several resolutions on the floor; a point of order under Rule 39 was sustained, removing several bills from consideration for not meeting the rule's calendar timing requirements.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Senator Cash introduces bill to revise abortion-related definitions, cites prior ‘heartbeat’ law

Senator Cash introduces ‘Free to Speak Act’ to limit use of pronouns in public schools

Senate adopts uncontested calendar items; Rule 39 point of order sustained on several bills