(CN) - The South Carolina Legislature on Tuesday passed a bill that bans nearly all abortions after 19 weeks, and sent it on to Gov. Nikki Haley for her signature.
With the vote by the state House, South Carolina became the 17th state to pass tighter restrictions on abortion rights. The state Senate approved the measure in March.
Similar laws are now in effect in 12 of those states, but litigation has stalled the measures in three others. Haley has already suggested she will sign the bill.
The 19-week restriction is based on the contention of supporters of the bill that fetuses can feel pain at 20 weeks. Opponents of the measure argued that abortions at or after the 19th week are rare and ordinarily occur in cases where there's a life-threatening complication in the pregnancy.
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