Tag Archives: S.217

(Video) SC Personhood Bill S.217 “Carried Over” by 18-5 vote in Senate Judiciary Committee Jan. 30, 2018; Next meeting Tues., Feb. 6

Published by:

Christians for Personhood ( CP )
Columbia, South Carolina
February 5, 2018

(Video) SC Personhood Bill S .217 “Carried Over” by 18-5 vote in Senate Judiciary Committee Jan. 30, 2018; Next meeting Tues., Feb. 6


Names of all 23 Senate Judiciary Committee members ( 14 R, 9 D ) may be viewed here .

Senators pictured above in January 30 Senate Judiciary Committee meeting, Gressette Bldg, Room 105, L-R, starting with back row:

Senator Tom Young (R-Aiken)
Senator Katrina Shealy (R-Lexington)
Senator Kevin Johnson (D-Clarendon)
Senator Brad Hutto (D-Orangeburg)
Senate Staff person
Senator Luke Rankin, Chairman (R-Horry)
Senate Staff person
Senator Gerald Malloy (D-Darlington)
Senator Shane Massey (R-Edgefield)
Senator Ross Turner (R-Greenville)
Senator Marlon Kimpson (D-Charleston)
Senator Margie Bright Matthews (D-Colleton)

[ Missing from back row: Ronnie Sabb (D-Williamsburg), Senator Chip Campsen (R-Charleston) Note: both these were present for most of the meeting; the only absent Senator was Thomas McElveen (R-Sumter) ]

Senators pictured, L-R, in front row:

Senator Richard Cash (R-Anderson)
Senator Sandy Senn (R-Charleston)
Senator Mia McLeod (D-Richland)
Senator Mike Fanning (D-Chester)
Senator Mike Gambrell (R-Anderson)
Senator Wes Climer (R-York)
Senator Stephen Goldfinch (R-Georgetown)
Senator Rex Rice (R-Pickens)
Senator Scott Talley (R-Greenville)
Senator William Timmons (R-Greenville)

All 46 South Carolina Senators may be viewed here .  [ Note: Senator John Courson under indictment has been suspended ]

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Recent Action Jan 30 and Upcoming Meeting Feb 6:

– On January 30, the SC Personhood Bill S .217 was listed first on the Senate Judiciary Comm. Agenda and was discussed for just over 1 1/2 hours before the 18-5 vote to “Carry Over” the S .217 bill until the next meeting.

– The next Senate Judiciary Committee meeting is Tuesday, February 6, beginning at 11:00 am, and S .217 is again on the Agenda, but this time is not listed at the top.

Senate Meeting Schedule
http://www.scstatehouse.gov/meetings.php?chamber=S

Tuesday, February 6
11:00 am
— Gressette Room 105 — Judiciary Committee
Agenda Available
Live Broadcast
Live Broadcast – Audio Only

The February 6 meeting is again in the Senate Gressette Bldg, Rm 105 (seats approx. 100).
[ The Senate Gressette Bldg is located to immediate rear of the SC State House, on the southwest side. ]

Please come early (recommend 10am or earlier) and help pack the room with praying Christian Pro-Personhood supporters.

It is likely Planned Parenthood supporters will be coming as well, and it is important for the 23 Senate members [ 14 R, 9 D ] of the Judiciary Committee to see a strong Pro-Personhood presence  [ Note: Of the 14 Republican members of the Judiciary Committee, only 10 have signed on as co-sponsors of S.217Rice, Turner, Young, Timmons, Talley, Shealy, Goldfinch, Climer, Gambrell, Cash.  [ Note: There are also 10 other co-sponsors of S.217 as well, who are not on the Senate Judiciary Committee, for a total of 20 ( 19 R, 1 D ) S.217 co-sponsors in the SC Senate, which presently consists of 45 ( 27 R, 18 D ) sitting SC Senators. ]

Republican Senate Majority Leader, and Chairman of the Senate Rules Committee, Senator Massey has not signed on as a S.217 co-sponsor, but has stated he will vote for the bill when he has the opportunity.

Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee Senator Rankin has not yet agreed to support S.217.

Senator Senn stated publicly in the January 30 Senate Judiciary Committee meeting:

     “I am a Republican, pro-life, and [ Roman ] Catholic.  I do not want to vote against a bill that encourages pro-life, but this bill is so far out of bounds as far as its constitutionality, I don’t think it can be retrieved,…”

[ View
South Carolina Legislature archive video [ Begin video time 54:40 Senator Senn comments on her opposition to SC Personhood Bill S.217 ]

Senator Campsen has been a long-time opponent of Personhood legislation ( although when SC Personhood legislation was first introduced in February 1998, then-Representative Campsen was actually a co-sponsor !? ).

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Further Reporting on January 30 Senate Judiciary Committee meeting:

– The committee room ( Gressette Room 105, below ) was filled to its approx. 100-seat capacity.
(It was also reported a separate overflow room had approx. 70 in attendance.)

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(Video) Senate Judiciary Committee meeting Jan 30, 2018, SC Personhood Bill S.217:

South Carolina Legislature

Video Archives by meeting time
http://www.scstatehouse.gov/video/archives.php
Select Year:  2018

Tuesday, January 30, 2018  11:00 am
Senate Judiciary Committee — Judiciary Committee
 
Agenda

Gressette Senate Office Building, Room 105
Video – 1:50:43

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– Several Senators spoke on the SC Personhood Bill S .217 Jan 30, both supporters and opponents.

 
[ Selected approx. video times listed below facilitate viewing of selected comments of various Senators as identified; however, during some of the time periods listed below, more than only the identified Senator may have spoken. ]

– Selected comments by Supporters of the SC Personhood Bill S .217 included:

1) Senator Richard Cash (R-Anderson) – View video [ Video times: 9:25 – 17:55; and 1:29:30 – 1:31:50 ]

[ Founder and former executive director of Personhood South Carolina ]

2) Senator Rex Rice (R-Pickens) – View video [ Video times: 30:50 – 31:15; and 1:38:10 – 1:39:40 ]

3) Senator Stephen Goldfinch (R-Georgetown) – View video [ Video times: 32:30 – 33:40; and 38:40 – 39:25 ]

4) Senator William Timmons (R-Greenville) – View video [ Video time: 43:30 – 46:25 ]

[ Attorney, former Asst. Solicitor for 13th Circuit – good explanation of use of Personhood Act of SC as a vehicle to challenge Roe v Wade ]

5) Senator Wes Climer (R-York) – View video [ Video times: 1:00:00 – 1:02:00; and 1:13:40 – 1:14:15; and 1:27:30 – 1:28:00 ]

6) Senator Katrina Shealy (R-Lexington) – View video [ Video times: 1:24:50 – 1:27:30; and 1:13:40 – 1:14:15; and 1:28:00 – 1:29:30; and 1:37:30 – 1:37:35 ( Senator Shealy’s Motion to carry S .217 bill over ) ]

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– Selected comments by Opponents of the SC Personhood Bill S .217 included:

1) Senator Margie Bright Matthews (D-Colleton) – View video [ Video times: 2:20 – 8:10; and 33:45 – 38:35; and 1:02:00 – 1:03:00 ]

[ Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Luke Rankin’s (R-Horry) hand-picked pro-child-murder-by-“abortion” chairwoman of the 5-man Subcommittee which passed S .217 out of Subcommittee by a 3Y-2N vote last year, April 26, 2017.  During the Subcommittee meeting on April 26, 2017, Senator Bright Matthews (attorney) abused her power as Chair and skipped over at least two Pro-Personhood speakers on the sign-up list, including a Christian woman with 34 years experience as Director of the Care Pregnancy Center, who was prepared to speak on her experience dealing with clients regarding the DAMAGE DONE TO WOMEN BY “ABORTION”.  So this Pro-Personhood testimony was blocked from being heard in the April 26, 2017 Subcommittee Hearing by Senator Rankin’s pro-“abortion” chairwoman. ]

2) Senator Luke Rankin (R-Horry) – View video [ Video times: 8:10 – 10:00; and 31:15 – 32:30 and 57:10 – 59:15; and 1:10:00 – 1:11:00; and 1:34:00 – 1:37:30 ( includes Senator Rankin’s “I will take just a second to complain somewhat” comments, and ending with his comments about following the examples of Kansas and Missouri, whose statutes subjected their implementation to Supreme Court decisions ); and 1:37:35 – 1:39:40 ( includes 18-5 vote to carry over; incorrectly reported by Senator Rankin as 19-4 vote ) ]

[ In 2017, Senator Rankin waited over two months to even assign S .217 to a Judiciary Subcommittee, until March 22, 2017, after then-Senator (now SC Lt Gov) Kevin Bryant had introduced S .217 on the first day of the 2017 Legislative Session, January 10, 2017.  Read more details of Senator Luke Rankin’s delaying tactics, “slow-walking” S .217 through the entire 2017 Legislative Session here and here and here.  In 2018, the South Carolina Legislature convened on Tuesday, January 9, however the Senate Judiciary Committee was not called by the Chairman, Senator Luke Rankin (R-Horry), to meet on January 9, nor on January 16, nor on January 23 !  The January 30 meeting of Chairman Rankin’s Senate Judiciary Committee was the first meeting in 2018.  Under normal procedures, legislation should be sent from the SC Senate to the SC House by April 10, and the END of the regular 2018 Legislative Session of the SC Legislature is May 10.  Has Senator Rankin already begun successfully “slow-walking” S .217 in the 2018 Legislative Session to consume precious time needed for debate and passage ? ]

3) Senator Brad Hutto (D-Orangeburg) – View video [ Video times: 18:00 – 23:15; and 1:03:45 – 1:05:55 ]

[ Perhaps the most strident child-murder-by-“abortion” proponent in the SC Senate.  His angry speech directed at a Christian Pro-Personhood Senator was insulting personally and therefore violated the spirit of SC Senate Rule 52, “ Personal Attacks on Senators Not Permitted;…”. Nevertheless, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Luke Rankin took no action to correct this pro-“abortion” Democrat Senator from Orangeburg. Senator Hutto received his J.D. (Law) degree from JESUIT Georgetown University Law Center. ]

4) Senator Kevin Johnson (D-Clarendon) – View video [ Video times: 23:15 – 24:15; and 42:10 – 43:30 ]

5) Senator Gerald Malloy (D-Darlington) – View video [ Video times: 24:15 – 30:50; and 59:15 – 1:00:00; and 1:05:55 – 1:09:00; and 1:11:00 – 1:13:40; and 1:31:50 – 1:34:00; and 1:38:10 – 1:39:40 ]

6) Senator Mia McLeod (D-Richland) – View video [ Video time: 39:25 – 42:10 ]

7) Senator Ronnie Sabb (D-Williamsburg) – View video [ Video time: 46:40 – 54:35 ]

8) Senator Sandy Senn (R-Charleston) – View video [ Video time: 54:40 – 57:10 ]

    “I am a Republican, pro-life [ sic ], and [ Roman ] Catholic.  I do not want to vote against a bill that encourages pro-life, but this bill is so far out of bounds as far as its constitutionality, I don’t think it can be retrieved,…”

9) Senator Marlon Kimpson (D-Charleston) – View video [ Video time: 1:14:35 – 1:24:50 ]

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Establishment media errors in reporting on January 30, 2018 Senate Judiciary Committee meeting:

There was erroneous reporting in The State newspaper.  Note how The State newspaper article erroneously reported the FALSE impression that “Personhood” legislation had been passed by other States and already ruled unconstitutional.

The State ( Columbia, SC )
‘Bill to likely ban all abortions delayed in South Carolina’
Jan 30, 2018
http://www.thestate.com/news/state/south-carolina/article197391249.html

Excerpt:

“The bill says life begins at conception, *** and at that moment an embryo has all the rights as any other citizen. **** Several senators, including Republicans, said similarly-worded legislation in other states has been found unconstitutional.*****

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*** No the bill does NOT say “life begins at conception” !!!  The word conception is never used in the bill. The bill says the RIGHT to life  (due process, equal protection) is vested at fertilization !!!

**** No, the bill does NOT say an embryo has ALL the rights of another citizen, the bill says (only) the RIGHT to LIFE is vested.  The State article is incorrect about vesture of ALL citizen rights at conception (fertilization). The Personhood bill S .217 as written vests only the right to life at fertilization, not the rights of liberty and property.

***** Missouri (effective 1988) and Kansas ( 2013) passed legislation which would recognize the rights of the unborn to be the same as “other persons”, but subjected their statutes, in the text of the statutes themselves, to the “decisional interpretations … by the United States Supreme Court”, and so child-murder-by-“abortion” continues in Missouri and Kansas to this day.  No State in the U.S.A. has yet passed a real, true Personhood Bill or Amendment.

Further errors or omissions in the article:

1) The 20 co-sponsors of S .217 are not all Republicans, there is one Democrat, so far – Senator Kent Williams.  There should be more, including Senator Darrell Jackson, a pastor, and Senator Glenn Reese, a present or former Baptist deacon.

2) The article fails to mention Gov McMaster, Lt Gov Bryant, and another candidate for SC Gov on 2018, Yancy McGill all spoke at the Personhood Day event Wednesday, January 24 at the SC State House.

3) Lastly, the article does not mention 2018 SC GOP candidate Catherine Templeton does NOT support the Personhood Bill S .217, because she supports “exceptions” to a ban on child-murder, i.e., her un-Biblical, immoral, and unconstitutional position, is to allow the continued murder of certain children in the womb based upon the circumstances of their conception.  By definition therefore, Catherine Templeton is NOT “pro-life”.  Even Webster’s and Black’s Law dictionaries define “Person” as “A human being.”

Personhood Report: In Law, No Exceptions to Human Personhood
http://christiansforpersonhood.com/index.php/2018/01/30/personhood-report-in-law-no-exceptions-to-human-personhood/

Personhood Report: No Exceptions to Personhood
http://christiansforpersonhood.com/index.php/2018/01/29/personhood-report-no-exceptions-to-personhood/

(Video) SC Personhood Bill S.217: SC Senator Richard Cash calls for Senate Floor Debate on Personhood Bill

Published by:

Christians for Personhood ( CP )
Columbia, South Carolina
January 26, 2018

(Video) SC Personhood Bill S.217:

1) SC Senator Richard Cash calls for Senate Floor Debate on Personhood Bill

2) SC Senate Judiciary Committee meeting Tuesday, January 30, 2018 – S.217 listed first on Agenda



‘STANDING IN THE GATE’

SC Senator Richard Cash speaking on Point of Personal Interest [ Re: Calling for Senate floor debate on Personhood Bill ] at Senate podium, Thursday, January 25, 2018

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(Video) SC Personhood Bill S.217:

1) SC Senator Richard Cash calls for Senate Floor Debate on Personhood Bill
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South Carolina Legislature

Video Archives by meeting time
http://www.scstatehouse.gov/video/archives.php
Select Year:  2018

Thursday, January 25, 2018  11:00 am
Senate — Senate

Senator Richard Cash presentation [ View video from 37:50 – 44:00, approx. six minutes ]

State House, Senate Chamber
Excerpt [ Begin 42:40 ]:

Senator Cash:

“There are many important issues that we will debate in the Senate.  There are some urgent issues that we need to debate, but nothing is more important, and nothing is more urgent, than debating the Personhood Bill.”

“It is not a Republican issue.
It is not a Democratic [sic – Democrat ] issue.
It is not a black issue.
It is not a white issue.
It is not even just a woman’s issue or a man’s issue.
It is fundamentally at its core, a human rights issue.”

“So I ask at the first available opportunity, that we deal with this question:  ‘Who qualifies as a member of the human community, and is deserving of legal protection?’  It is a question that this body needs to debate fully on this Senate floor and to vote on.  Thank you very much.”

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Senator Cash’s remarks to be printed in the permanent record of the Senate Journal, January 25, 2018:

http://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess122_2017-2018/sj18/20180125.htm#p3

Senator CASH rose for an Expression of Personal Interest.

Remarks to be Printed

On motion of Senator DAVIS, with unanimous consent, the remarks of Senator CASH, when reduced to writing and made available to the Desk, would be printed in the Journal.

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2) SC Senate Judiciary Committee meeting Tuesday, January 30, 2018 – S.217 listed first on Agenda

Senate Meeting Schedule
http://www.scstatehouse.gov/meetings.php?chamber=S

Tuesday, January 30
11:00 am
— Gressette Room 105 — Judiciary Committee
Agenda Available
Live Broadcast
Live Broadcast – Audio Only

The SC Personhood Bill S.217 is listed first on the SC Senate Judiciary Committee meeting Agenda for Tuesday, January 30, 2018, at 11am in the Senate  Gressette Bldg, Rm 105 (seats approx. 100).
[ The Senate Gressette Bldg is located to immediate rear of the SC State House, on the southwest side. ]

Please come early (recommend 10am) and help pack the room with Christian, Pro-Personhood supporters. As you arrive, recommend you sit as close to the front of the room as possible.  Personhood South Carolina will be providing “PERSONHOOD NOW” stickers at the door of Room 105, which you may place on your lapel.

It is likely Planned Parenthood supporters will be coming as well, and it is important for the 23 Senate members [ 14 R, 9 D ] of the Judiciary Committee to see a strong Pro-Personhood presence  [ Note: Of the 14 Republican members of the Judiciary Committee, only 10 have signed on as co-sponsors of S.217Rice, Turner, Young, Timmons, Talley, Shealy, Goldfinch, Climer, Gambrell, Cash.  [ Note: There are also 10 other co-sponsors of S.217 as well, who are not on the Senate Judiciary Committee, for a total of 20 ( 19 R, 1 D ) S.217 co-sponsors in the SC Senate, which presently consists of 45 ( 27 R, 18 D ) sitting SC Senators. ]

Republican Senate Majority Leader, and Chairman of the Senate Rules Committee, Senator Massey has not signed on as a S.217 co-sponsor, but has stated he will vote for the bill when he has the opportunity.

Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee Senator Rankin, and Senator Senn have not yet agreed to support S.217.

Senator Campsen has been a long-time opponent of Personhood legislation ( although when SC Personhood legislation was first introduced in February 1998, then-Representative Campsen was actually a co-sponsor !? ).

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(The Times Examiner) ‘Personhood and 2018 SC Legislature’ – ‘Pass Personhood Now !’ – Jan. 3, 2018

Published by:

Christians for Personhood ( CP )
Columbia, South Carolina
January 9, 2018

The Times Examiner (Jan. 3, 2018):

Personhood and 2018 SC Legislature

‘Pass Personhood Now !’

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The 2018 Session of the SC Legislature has begun today, Tuesday, January 9. The regular Session runs through May 10, 2018.  There are therefore about four months for the Personhood Act of SC to be first passed by the Republican-majority SC Senate ( 28R, 18D ), and then by Republican-majority SC House ( now 78R, 44D, 2 vacancies ), and then signed by the Republican Governor of South Carolina ( who has already written in this October 2, 2017 Letter his willingness to do so ).

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The Times Examiner ( Greenville, SC )
INDEPENDENT CONSERVATIVE VOICE OF THE PALMETTO STATE

‘Personhood and 2018 SC Legislature’
‘Pass Personhood Now !’
http://christianlifeandliberty.net/2018-01-09-Personhood-and-2018-SC-Legislature-Pass-Personhood-Now!-The-Times-Examiner-Jan-03-2018.pdf
January 3, 2018

[ Excerpts, emphasis, hyperlinks added ]

In 2018, South Carolina has an opportunity to make US history becoming the first State to pass personhood into law, thereby Establishing Justice for pre-birth human beings.

     SC Governor Henry McMaster has stated in a letter ( Oct 2, 2017 ) he will sign the Personhood Act into SC Law.

     SC Representative Greg Delleney (R-Chester), chairman of the SC House Judiciary Committee has repeatedly stated he will get the bill passed in the SC House of Representatives if it is first passed in the SC Senate.

Senate Bill S.217, the Personhood Act of South Carolina, passed a SC Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on April 26, 2017, and awaits consideration by the full Senate Judiciary Committee chaired by SC Senator Luke Rankin (R-Horry).

continued…

General Calendar for events in 2018:

1) NLT Tuesday, January 16, 2018:  Favorable Passage of the Personhood Act of SC (S.217) out of the full Senate Judiciary Committee (presently 13 R, 9 D; should be 14 R, 9 D with Senator Richard Cash added).

2) NLT Tuesday, January 30, 2018:  Assignment of the Personhood Act of SC ( S.217) to the Special Order slot ( giving bill higher priority for full Senate floor debate ) of the Senate Rules Committee (presently 10 R, 7 D).

3) NLT Tuesday, April 10, 2018:  “Crossover” deadline to get bills from one Chamber to the other.  Passage of the Personhood Act of SC ( S.217) with no “exceptions” amendments out of the full SC Senate (28 R, 18 D).

4) NLT Thursday, May 10, 2018:  Last day of regular 2018 Legislative Session.  Passage of the Personhood Act of SC ( S.217 / H.3530) with no “exceptions” amendments out of the full SC House (77 R, 44 D, 3 vacancies).
[Rep. Greg Delleney, Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee has repeatedly promised passage in the House.]

5) Prompt Signing of Bill into SC Code of Laws:  SC Governor Henry McMaster
“Please know that I strongly support the Personhood Act (H.3530 and S.217) and look forward to signing it into law.”
– South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, Letter to Dr. Matthew Clark, Personhood South Carolina, Oct. 2, 2017

       Please go to http://www.scstatehouse.gov/ , click on Senate Committees, then on Judiciary. Calls are needed now from constituents to the 12 Republican Senators listed (beside lead S.217 sponsor Rex Rice), urging them to support and vote for favorable passage of the Personhood Act of SC ( S.217) with no “exceptions” amendments out of this Judiciary Committee
by Tues., Jan. 16, 2018.

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Additional postings provided by Christians for Personhood:

SOUTH CAROLINA GOVERNOR HENRY McMASTER LETTER
South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster :
“Please know that I strongly support the Personhood Act (H.3530 and S.217) and look forward to signing it into law.”
Letter to Dr. Matthew Clark, Chairman of the Board, Personhood South Carolina
October 2, 2017

‘GOD Has Shown US Great MERCY…What Will We Do with the OPPORTUNITY?
Letter to the Editor / Opinion Editorial
Steve Lefemine, Christian pro-life missionary
dir., Columbia Christians for Life
exec. dir. Christians for Personhood
November 12, 2016 / Edited, Revised November 14, 2016
http://christianlifeandliberty.net/2016-11-12-GOD-Has-Shown-US-Great-MERCY-Letter-to-the-Editor.pdf

Personhood is Abolition
Personhood is abolition.  Here in South Carolina, we have advocated passage of State personhood legislation continuously for the last 19 years since 1998
[ History of Personhood Legislation in South Carolina ( 1998 – 2016 )  ].
The current 2017 legislation in the SC Legislature is called the Personhood Act of South Carolina ( S .217 / H.3530).
– South Carolina Personhood legislation recognizes the Creator God-given, unalienable right to life of every human being as a “person” beginning at fertilization, in SC law.
Steve Lefemine
exec. dir., Christians for Personhood
March 15, 2017 [ Edited July 15, 2017 ]
http://christianlifeandliberty.net/2017-03-15-Personhood-is-Abolition-edited-July-15-2017.pdf

‘For the Murdered Unborn, Incrementalism is Not Justice’
http://christiansforpersonhood.com/index.php/2017/04/11/for-the-murdered-unborn-incrementalism-is-not-justice/
http://christianlifeandliberty.net/2017-04-10-Incrementalism-is-Not-Justice-Incrementalism-is-Evil.pdf

Black’s Law Dictionary (2009): Person = “A Human Being”
http://christianlifeandliberty.net/2013-12-11%20%20Blacks%20Law%20Dictionary%202009;%20Person%20=%20A%20Human%20Being.docx

LEGAL EXPERTS SUPPORTING THE CONSTITUTIONALITY OF STATE-LEVEL PERSONHOOD LEGISLATION
IN SC (2001), MISS (2009), ALA (2011), and OK (2012):
 – Herb Titus is an attorney, constitutional scholar, author, the founding Dean of College of Law/Gov’t at Regent University
Mathew Staver is former Dean of the School of Law at Liberty University; and Liberty Counsel founder and chair
– Judge Roy Moore, Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court, is President Emeritus of Foundation for Moral Law
   April 5, 2016
http://christianlifeandliberty.net/2016-04-05-Legal-experts-supporting-constitutionality-of-State-level-Personhood-legislation-SC-MISS-ALA-OK-edited-Jan-27-2017.pdf

Newsletter: Personhood Act of SC – S.217 (Dec 29, 2017)

Published by:

Christians for Personhood   

P.O. Box 12222, Columbia, S.C.  29211  *  CP@spiritcom.net

God says:  “Thou shalt not kill (murder).”  Exodus 20:13, KJV

 

Dec. 29, 2017

PERSONHOOD ACT OF SOUTH CAROLINA

Dear Pro-Life, Pro-Personhood Christians,

The Personhood Act of SC (S.217) favorably passed a five-man SC Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on April 26, 2017 by a vote of 3 Yeas ( Rice, Gambrell, Talley) to 2 Nays ( Bright Matthews, McLeod ).  Although S.217 was listed ninth ( Letter I ) on the Agenda of the full Senate Judiciary Committee on May 2, 2017, as S.217 was coming up for deliberation, Judiciary Committee Chairman Senator Luke Rankin (R-Horry) effectively unilaterally “carried over” ( with no vote by the committee members ) another bill and S.217, to take up other bills ( view Senator Rankin’s maneuver at: SC Legislature Video Archives – begin at 1:16:45 ).  Then at the very end of the committee meeting, Senator Rankin returned to S.217; however, the meeting had already run overtime, and two Republican Senators supporting S.217 had already left the committee meeting room.  So Senator Rice as S.217 lead sponsor, was forced into the necessarily wise decision to move to “carry over” the bill ( SC Legislature Video Archives – see video at 2:06:50 ), which is how regular 2017 Legislative Session work on bills ended for Senator Luke Rankin’s Judiciary Committee.

So Senator Rankin’s Session-long “slow-walk” of the bill ( including assigning pro-“abortion” Democrat Senator Margie Bright Matthews (D-Colleton) to be Subcommittee chairman ! ) was not successful in completely blocking the bill, but was successful in employing another RINO Senate tactic, of delaying the bill, as he had not even assigned the bill to a Judiciary Subcomm. until March 22, 2017, well over two months after S.217 was introduced by then-Senator Kevin Bryant ( now SC Lt Gov ), on the first day of the 2017 Legislative Session, January 10, 2017.  This is background for the 2018 SC Legislative Session, which begins January 9, 2018, and ends about four months later, May 10, 2018. The sprint to the end of this 2nd year of the two-year 2017-2018 Legislature means timely Senate action is critical !

With this understanding of the critical importance of timing in 2018, here are some broad benchmarks:

1) NLT Tuesday, January 16, 2018:  Favorable Passage of the Personhood Act of SC (S.217) out of the full Senate Judiciary Committee ( presently 13 R, 9 D; should be 14 R, 9 D when Senator Richard Cash added ).

2) NLT Tuesday, January 30, 2018:  Assignment of the Personhood Act of SC (S.217) to the Special Order slot ( giving bill higher priority for full Senate floor debate ) of the Senate Rules Committee ( presently 10 R, 7 D).

3) NLT Tuesday, April 10, 2018:  “Crossover” deadline to get bills from one Chamber to the other.  Passage of the Personhood Act of SC (S.217) with no “exceptions” amendments out of the full SC Senate ( 28 R, 18 D ).

4) NLT Thursday, May 10, 2018:  Last day of regular 2018 Legislative Session.  Passage of the Personhood Act of SC (S.217 / H.3530 ) with no “exceptions” amendments out of the full SC House ( 77 R, 44 D, 3 vacancies ).

[ Rep. Greg Delleney, Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee has repeatedly promised passage in the House. ]

5) Prompt Signing of Bill into SC Code of Laws:  SC Governor Henry McMaster

“Please know that I strongly support the Personhood Act (H.3530 and S.217) and look forward to signing it into law.”

– South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, Letter to Dr. Matthew Clark, Personhood South Carolina, Oct. 2, 2017

Please go to http://www.scstatehouse.gov/, click on Senate Committees, then on Judiciary. We need calls now from constituents to the 12 Republican Senators listed (beside lead S.217 sponsor Rex Rice), urging them to support and vote for favorable passage of the Personhood Act of SC (S.217) with no “exceptions” amendments out of this Judiciary Committee by Tues., Jan. 16, 2018.  God’s Requirement for Murder is Justice ( Amos 5:15, KJV ).

 

In Christ,

Steve Lefemine, Christian pro-life missionary

exec. dir., Christians for Personhood

 

[ This newsletter w/ hyperlinks is posted at: http://christianlifeandliberty.net, click on “Personhood Act” page, go to item #139. ]

Glory to God ! – SC PERSONHOOD ACT ( S.217) passes Senate Judiciary Subcommittee favorably by 3Y-2N vote – April 26, 2017

Published by:

Christians for Personhood ( CP )
Columbia, South Carolina
April 27, 2017 / Revised April 28, 2017 / Revised July 5, 2017

Glory to God !SC PERSONHOOD ACT ( S .217) passes Senate Judiciary Subcommittee favorably by 3Y-2N vote – April 26, 2017

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– The SC Personhood Act ( S .217) passed favorably out of a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Wednesday shortly before 11am, April 26, by a vote of 3 Yeas ( Rice , Gambrell, Talley) to 2 Nays (Bright Matthews, McLeod).

– The bill now goes to the full Judiciary Committee, which presently has 22 members (1 vacancy), of which 13 are Republicans and 9 are Democrats; however only nine Republican members of the Judiciary Committee are co-sponsors of S .217 [ Climer, Gambrell, Goldfinch, Rice , Shealy, Talley, Turner, Timmons, Young ].  There are four Republicans on the Judiciary Committee who are not co-sponsors of S .217 [ Massey (Senate Majority ( Republican ) Leader; Chairman Senate Rules Committee), Rankin (Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman), Senn , and the only presently openly, repeatedly, long-term, declared opponent of S.217, Campsen (Senate Fish, Game and Forestry Committee Chairman) ].  None of the 9 Democrats on the Judiciary Committee are presently co-sponsoring S .217.

– The April 26 meeting was scheduled to convene at 9am, but was started about 15 minutes late.  The full Senate was scheduled to go into session in the Senate chamber over at the State House at 11am, which placed a specific time limit on the length of the S .217 Subcommittee hearing.

– The hearing room was changed only the day before ( 4/25 ) to Room 209, which is the same size as the prior Room 207, with an audience seating capacity of just 50 ( The March 30 S .217 hearing was held in Room 308 with an audience seating capacity of 90, and there were people standing along two walls and overflowing out into the hallway at the March 30 S .217 hearing. ).  On Wednesday, Room 209 was filled including a few spots for standing room, and then there were many other people still out in the hallway.

Senate Gressette Building Room 209 filled for SC Personhood Act ( S .217) Judiciary Subcommittee Hearing  

– The Subcommittee chairwoman Senator Bright Matthews [ D – appointed by “Republican” Senator Luke Rankin (R-Horry) ] explained at the beginning of the meeting that time would have to be allowed at the end of the meeting for the Subcommittee to vote on the bill, and so speakers would not be called beyond a certain time ahead of the end of the meeting to allow that vote to take place.

– Four of those who were allowed to speak in support of the SC Personhood Act ( S .217) were Eva Edl, Johnny Gardner, Rolf Baghdady, and Richard Cash.  The videos of their testimonies are available below:

Eva Edl –  82 years old, survivor of a Communist death camp in Yugoslavia at end of WW2

Eva Edl Personhood Bill testimony – April 26, 2017
https://youtu.be/_nV3PMlewEc
Video – 5:51

Eva Edl testifies before SC Personhood Act ( S .217) Judiciary Subcommittee:  Members present at the time from Left to Right: Senator Scott Talley (R), Judiciary Committee Senior Staff Attorney Paula Benson, Senator Margie Bright Matthews (D), Senator Mike Gambrell (R), Senator Rex Rice (R).  [ Not present yet, Senator Mia McLeod (D), seat empty between Senator Talley and Benson, Esq. ].    

Also:

Johnny Gardner – director of Voice of the Unborn

Johnny Gardner Personhood Bill testimony – April 26, 2017
https://youtu.be/WxFJmZ_iREM
Video – 6:28

Rolf Baghdady, attorney – addressed legal issues, including importance of personhood as identified in Roe Opinion

Rolf Baghdady Personhood Bill testimony – April 26, 2017
https://youtu.be/_iJ8j5mpii8
Video – 6:24

Richard Cash – executive director of Personhood SC; Winner of Republican SC Senate District #3 Anderson Primary Runoff on April 25

Richard Cash Personhood bill testimony – April 26, 2017
https://youtu.be/IunEZWKaWzs
Video – 5:50

Richard Cash testifies before SC Personhood Act ( S .217) Judiciary Subcommittee:  Members present at the time from Left to Right: Senator Scott Talley (R), Senator Mia McLeod (D), Judiciary Committee Senior Staff Attorney Paula Benson, Senator Margie Bright Matthews (D), Senator Mike Gambrell (R), Senator Rex Rice (R).

 

( Several other supporters of the SC Personhood Act ( S .217) were present who were also signed up to speak, but who were not afforded that opportunity by the Subcommittee chairwoman Senator Bright Matthews [ D – appointed by “Republican” Senator Luke Rankin (R-Horry) ]. )

After the conclusion of the SC Personhood Act ( S .217) Judiciary Subcommittee, and the vote to pass S .217 favorably: From Left to Right, Pat Hunter, wife of Dr. Johnny Hunter, and  Eva Edl.  Dr. Johnny Hunter is the national director of the Life Education and Resource Netwlork (L.E.A.R.N.), a Christian, pro-life organization which focuses on reaching Christian black pastors to become involved in pro-life efforts ( Dr. Hunter was signed up to speak and had a short, one-page statement prepared, but was not afforded the opportunity to address the S .217 Subcommitee during the hearing.)
[ See  http://BlackGenocide.org ]

 

‘For the Murdered Unborn, Incrementalism is Not Justice’
http://christiansforpersonhood.com/index.php/2017/04/11/for-the-murdered-unborn-incrementalism-is-not-justice/
http://christianlifeandliberty.net/2017-04-10-Incrementalism-is-Not-Justice-Incrementalism-is-Evil.pdf

‘GOD Has Shown US Great MERCY…What Will We Do with the OPPORTUNITY?
Letter to the Editor / Opinion Editorial
Steve Lefemine, Christian pro-life missionary
dir., Columbia Christians for Life
exec. dir. Christians for Personhood
November 12, 2016 / Edited, Revised November 14, 2016
http://christianlifeandliberty.net/2016-11-12-GOD-Has-Shown-US-Great-MERCY-Letter-to-the-Editor.pdf

LEGAL EXPERTS SUPPORTING THE CONSTITUTIONALITY OF STATE-LEVEL PERSONHOOD LEGISLATION
IN SC (2001), MISS (2009), ALA (2011), and OK (2012):
 – Herb Titus is an attorney, constitutional scholar, author, the founding Dean of College of Law/Gov’t at Regent University
Mathew Staver is former Dean of the School of Law at Liberty University; and Liberty Counsel founder and chair
– Judge Roy Moore, Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court, is President Emeritus of Foundation for Moral Law
   April 5, 2016
http://christianlifeandliberty.net/2016-04-05-Legal-experts-supporting-constitutionality-of-State-level-Personhood-legislation-SC-MISS-ALA-OK-edited-Jan-27-2017.pdf

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Senator Luke Rankin (R – Horry) has still not signed on as a co-sponsor of S .217 SC Personhood Act.

Senator Luke Rankin (R – Horry) has still not committed to vote for S .217 SC Personhood Act with no amendments in full Senate Judiciary Committee which he chairs.

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– Please continue to call and request Senator Luke Rankin, Chairman Judiciary Committee:

1) Sign on to co-sponsor S.217 as soon as possible.

2) Commit to vote in support of S.217 without any amendments in the full Judiciary Committee.

Senator Luke Rankin (R-Horry)
Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee
District 33 – Horry County – Map

Contact Information:
http://www.scstatehouse.gov/member.php?code=1511363455

(Columbia ) Senator Rankin Senate office Phone (803) 212-6610

(Conway ) Senator Rankin Law office Phone (843) 248-2405

( Myrtle Beach ) Senator Rankin Home Phone (843) 626-6269


Send webmail message to Senator Luke Rankin (R-Horry)

http://www.scstatehouse.gov/email.php?T=M&C=1511363455


When calling/leaving messages/e-mailing, remind Senator Luke Rankin he voted in 2016 for the S.719 SC Personhood Amendment on April 12, 2016 ( Minutes p.5 ) in the full Senate Judiciary Committee; and remind Senator Rankin he also voted in 2016 for Special Order for the S.719 SC Personhood Amendment on the floor of the full SC Senate on May 11, 2016[ At the time 23-year incumbent Senator Rankin was facing Republican opposition from a Myrtle Beach Republican in the June 2016 Primary ]. 

 

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