COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - The South Carolina House has passed legislation that would ban almost all abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected which is typically around the sixth week of pregnancy.
Lawmakers voted 64-22 on Thursday on a routine vote to send the legislation over to the Senate after spending more than five hours debating the bill before a key vote Wednesday .
The bill has little chance of becoming law this year after missing a key legislative deadline. That makes its passage a tougher task in a less conservative Senate with only six working days remaining in the legislative session after Thursday.
Members of the Senate also are dealing with state-owned utility Santee Cooper and other matters.
Legislatures in Kentucky, Ohio, Mississippi and Georgia have passed fetal heartbeat abortion bills this year.
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