BY: ABRAHAM KENMORE

COLUMBIA – 

Advocates for abortion rights are launching a petition in hopes of showing the Legislature’s ruling Republicans that South Carolinians support repealing the six-week abortion ban signed into law last year.

Groups backing the effort, announced Tuesday outside the Statehouse, include the League of Women Voters, the American Civil Liberties Union of South Carolina, the Palmetto State Abortion Fund, Columbia NOW and Planned Parenthood.

They recognize the petition will carry no legal weight and cannot even put an advisory question on the ballot, no matter how many signatures they collect. Unlike in other states, South Carolina law does not allow for voter-sponsored ballot initiatives.

Only legislators — by super-majority approval in both chambers — can ask voters whether the state constitution should change. During last year’s debate, Republican leaders repeatedly thwarted attempts to ask voters whether the state constitution should specifically allow abortions.

But the abortion rights advocates hope they can demonstrate public support. They intend to present the results to legislators before the regular session ends in May.

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