Room 207, Gressette Bldg., conducted approx. 10:15 - 11:45 AM State House grounds, Columbia, SC
We give all praise and glory to the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ forthe continued deliberations on the Right to Life of SC. Although a vote was not taken today in the subcommittee to pass the bill favorably out of the subcommittee and on to the full Senate Judiciary Committee; neither was the bill killed. A vote remains to be taken. The Right to Life Act of SC is still alive.
The Subcommittee chaired by Senator Jim Ritchie (R-Spartanburg) of the Senate Judiciary Committee conducted a second Public Hearing during which testimony was heard primarily (almost exclusively) on the subject of the Right to Life Act of SC (H.3213/S.111). Of the nine speakers who spoke during the approx. one and one-half hours of testimony, all except for two spoke in favor of passage of the Right to Life Act of SC. The two who did not speak in support of the RTL Act of SC were: 1) a law professor from the partially tax-funded University of South Carolina, and someone from the A.C.L.U. - these two spoke of legal problems that would arise if the Right to Life Act of SC were passed into law.
At the end of the 90 minutes of intense testimony, chairman Senator Ritchie explained the need of the subcommittee to digest the information conveyed to them, and further assess the impact of the Right to Life Act, and also, unfortunately, another bill, S.479 (the Unborn Victim's Act), which while it does recognize fetal personhood in several limited areas of state law, it also disgracefully and abominably statutorily recognizes the so-called "mother's right to privacy, to a lawful medical procedure performed by aphysician..." [read 'abortion']. This is not a pro-life bill. It is advocated by South Carolina Citizens for Life (SC state chapter of National Right to Life).
As of the end of the subcommittee meeting, Senator Ritchie did not know whether, with just about two weeks left in the 2005 legislative session (it ends Thursday, June 2, two weeks from tomorrow), whether or not his subcommittee would actually vote on the Right to Life Act of SC by that end of session date or not.
Speakers in favor of passage of the Right to Life Act were:
1. Johnny Gardner, dir., Voice of the Unborn, Columbia
2. Steve Lefemine, dir., Columbia Christians for Life, Columbia
3. Kim _____, post-abortion, personal testimony, Columbia area
4. Gerald Nagy, missionary-support computer services ministry, West Columbia
5. Mr. Bob Slimp, Presbyterian minister, Reserve Army chaplain (LTC), Columbia
6. Chris _____, mother of post-abortive daughter, personal testimony, Columbia area
7. Mr. Charles Butler, pastor, Souls Afire Baptist Church, Orangeburg
Much excellent testimony was given, to the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ, by the pro-life/anti-abortion speakers. Much Scripture was spoken, and several important subjects were covered, including the God-ordained accountability of those in civil government to God, and issues of law, biology, and as mentioned above, personal testimonies.
To order the CD of the proceedings, contact Mr. Phil Lenski, staff attorneyfor the Senate Judiciary Committee, at (803) 212-6617. The cost is $5.00.
In addition to chairman Senator Jim Ritchie (R-Spartanburg), there were two other senators present of the 4-man subcommittee:
Senator Randy Scott (R-Summerville)
Senator Joel Louris (D-Columbia)
absent (chairing another subcommitee) was Senator Luke Rankin (R-Horry Co.)
Senator Ritchie and Senator Scott are generally favorable to the bill, however neither is presently a co-sponsor of S.111, and it seems that it would be beneficial for both of them to continue to hear from the public encouraging them to support the RTL Act of SC without the 'fatal flaw' rape EXCEPTION amendment that was added in the SC House. One step of progress that seems to have been made waswhen Senator Ritchie expressed after today's subcommittee hearing his understanding, essentially, how there can't be any 'exceptions' to personhood - either we vest personhood or we don't. This is important so that we do not make the same mistake that the State of Texas made over 30 years ago in the Roe case with a 'life-of-the-mother' exception that undermined the fetal 'personhood' case that Texas tried to make, but failed to, in part, because of an 'exception' to fetal personhood in law. Please pray for Senator Ritchie (and all these senators) that they will fear God and not man, and do what is their God-ordained duty, to 'establish justice' in the 'gate.'
Senator Joel Lourie (D-Columbia) appears to be generally against the bill. It is unknown what the position of Senator Luke Rankin (R-Horry County) is at present.
The bottom line is that all four senators need further encouragement to either:
a) vote for the bill, or
b) if they are against the bill, as Senator Lourie of Columbia appears most likely to be, that they be encouraged to abstain from voting against the bill.
c) ask each one of them to sign on as a co-sponsor of S.111
Furthermore, apparently SC Senate rules allow the Senate Judiciary Committee chairman (Senator Glenn McConnell, R-Charleston) to also potentially have a vote, in the subcommittee. So it may be helpful for pro-life people to contact Senator McConnell as well. Ask Senator McConnell to support passage of the RTL Act of SC in its original (unamended) form, and ask him if he will sign on as a co-sponsor of the Right to Life Act (tell him that the Speaker of the SC House, the Speaker Pro Tempore of the SC House, and the House Majority Leader all signed on as co-sponsors to the House version before Second Reading).
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Beyond these five men associated with Senator Ritchie's subcommittee (Senators Jim Ritchie, Luke Rankin, Randy Scott, Joel Lourie, and Judiciary Comm. chairman Glenn McConnell), it would also be helpful to begin making contact with some members of the 23-man Senate Judiciary Committee:
Please consider contacting these selected Judiciary Committee members below to:
a) sign onto bill S.111 as a co-sponsor themselves, and
b) ask them to urge the 5 men above on Senator Ritchie's subcommittee to pass the bill out favorably before the end of the legislative session inthe next two weeks:
Senator Greg Gregory (R-Lancaster and York Counties)
Senator Larry Martin (R-Pickens County)
Senator Bill Mescher (R-Berkeley County)
Senator John Hawkins (R-Spartanburg County)
Senator Jake Knotts (R-Lexington County)
Senator Ronnie Cromer (R-Lexington, Newberry, & Saluda Counties)
Senator Kevin Bryant (R-Anderson County) [already a co-sponsor of S.111]
Senator Chip Campsen (R-Berkeley & Charleston Counties)
Senator Ray Cleary (R-Charleston, Georgetown, & Horry Counties)
Senator Kent Williams (D-Dillon, Florence, Marion & Marlboro Counties)
In addition to these 10 men, of course, are added the names of the 4 members of Senator Ritchie's Subcommittee (Ritchie, Rankin, Scott, & Lourie), and Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Senator Glenn McConnell (R-Charleston), for a totalof 15 members of the (23-man) Judiciary Committee that should begin to be contacted.
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Also please consider contacting these six state senators below who are already co-sponsors of S.111, to lobby the members of Senator Ritchie's Subcommittee and the other Judiciary Committee members above: [see link to S.111 from www.ChristianLifeandLiberty.net]
Senator Mike Fair (R-Greenville)
Senator David Thomas (R-Greenville)
Senator Larry Grooms (R-Berkeley, Charleston, Colleton & Dorchester Counties)
Senator Danny Verdin (R-Greenville & Laurens Counties)
Senator Kevin Bryant (R-Anderson) [Senator Bryant is on the Judiciary Committee]
Senator Wes Hayes (R-York Co.)
Please ask the six senators above who are already co-sponsors of S.111 to urge the Judiciary Committee members above to:
a) sign onto bill S.111 as a co-sponsor themselves, and
b) ask them to urge the 5 men above on Senator Ritchie's subcommittee to pass the bill out favorably before the end of the legislative session inthe next two weeks.
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Lastly, please consider contacting YOUR OWN STATE SENATOR:
to sign on to Senate bill S.111 themselves, and to urge the Judiciary Committee members above to:
a) sign onto bill S.111 as a co-sponsor themselves, and
b) ask them to urge the 5 men above on Senator Ritchie's subcommittee to pass the bill out favorably before the end of the legislative session in the next two weeks:
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Below you will find the detailed contact information for Senator Ricthie's Subcommittee and Senator Glenn McConnell (phone numbers / e-mail addresses / mail addresses).
NOTE: all of the SC Senators can be faxed at 803-212-6299 - be sure to include the Senator’s name on whatever you fax since this is a fax machine in common use to all 46 SC state senators.
If you need the name, address, e-mail, or telephone number of your SC State Senator, go to:
www.scstatehouse.net/html-pages/senatebios.html
www.scstatehouse.net/html-pages/senate2.html
SENATE MAILING ADDRESS:
You may also write any Member of the Senate at:
Post Office Box 142, Columbia, S.C. 29202-0142
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Contact info for SC Senators:
Glenn McConnell (R) and
Jim Ritchie (R), Randy Scott (R),
Luke Rankin (R), & Joel Lourie (D):
President Pro Tempore Glenn F. McConnell
District 41 - Charleston Co.
Contact Addresses: E-Mail Address: SJU@scsenate.org
(H) 27 Bainbridge Dr., Charleston, 29407
Bus. (843) 747-7554 Home (843) 571-3921
(C) 101 Gressette Bldg., Columbia, 29202
Bus. (803) 212-6610
Senator James H. "Jim" Ritchie, Jr.
District 13 - Greenville, Spartanburg & Union Cos.
Contact Addresses: E-Mail Address: JHR@scsenate.org
(H) 302 South Pine St., Spartanburg, 29302
Bus. (864) 585-2275 Home (864) 585-6047
(C) 608 Gressette Bldg., Columbia, 29202
Bus. (803) 212-6008/6032
Senator Randy Scott
District 38 - Charleston & Dorchester Cos.
Contact Addresses: E-Mail Address: SCOTTR@scsenate.org
(H) 107 Cleveland St., Summerville, 29483
Bus. (843) 873-5544 Home (843) 871-2964
(C) 606 Gressette Bldg., Columbia, 29202
Bus. (803) 212-6024
Senator Luke A. Rankin, Sr.
District 33 - Horry Co.
Contact Addresses: E-Mail Address: LR@scsenate.org
(H) 201 Beaty St., Conway, 29526
Bus. (843) 248-2405 Home (843) 626-6269
(C) 508 Gressette Bldg., Columbia, 29202
Bus. (803) 212-6132
Senator Joel Lourie
District 22 - Kershaw & Richland Cos.
Contact Addresses: E-Mail Address: JBL@scsenate.org
(H) P.O. Box 6212, Columbia, 29260
Bus. (803) 765-9200 ext.257 Home (803) 787-5802
(C) 504 Gressette Bldg., Columbia, 29202
Bus. (803) 212-6116
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Prepared by Columbia Christians for Life * http://www.righttolifeactofsc.net/ * (803) 765-0916 * Columbia, SC
Thank you for your interest in passing principled pro-life/anti-abortion, no ''EXCEPTIONS'state-level legislation in South Carolina. If you are from out of state and would like to help, your e-mails, faxes, letters and phone calls are welcome. If South Carolina, Lord willing,passes principled pro-life legislation, perhaps that would be helpful to other states to do likewise. Already this legislative year, three other states have had principled pro-life, no 'EXCEPTIONS' bills filed in their state legislatures:
GEORGIA, NORTH DAKOTA, and OHIO.
Note: For add’l resources that may be useful in lobbying these State Senators, go to
www.ChristianLifeandLiberty.net, and click on “RTL Act of SC.” There you will find someitems germaine to your lobbying effort, which may be printed out and mailed or faxed; or, e-mailed, to these Senators.
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If you wish to contribute to Columbia Christians for Life, go to http://www.christianlifeandliberty.net/ and click on "Support" for further information (contributions are not tax deductible)
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