South Carolina's abortion law challenged in court on 2nd day

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina’s new law banning most abortions faced a challenge in court Friday on its second day in effect, as Planned Parenthood asked a federal judge to stop the state from enforcing it.

Gov. Henry McMaster signed the bill into law Thursday less than an hour after it was sent to him, but the national reproductive health services organization sued even before the governor put ink to paper.

The temporary restraining order is needed in part because more than 75 women are scheduled to have abortions in the state over the next three days, and most of them would be banned under the new law, Planned Parenthood and The Center for Reproductive Rights said in court papers.

The “ South Carolina Fetal Heartbeat and Protection from Abortion Act " is similar to abortion restriction laws that a dozen states have previously passed. All were stopped from taking effect and currently are tied up in court. Federal law, which takes precedence over state law, currently allows abortion.

Planned Parenthood's lawyers said South Carolina is “openly flouting this law."

The South Carolina Attorney General's Office said it plans to argue against the law's temporary suspension at a hearing with the judge scheduled for Friday afternoon. In court papers filed Friday morning, attorneys asked the court to give them more time to develop their case before issuing any order.

The state's lawyers also argued that Planned Parenthood can't be sure the law will be rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court. With three justices appointed by Republican former President Donald Trump, they said, the court could overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision supporting abortion rights.

Abortion opponents celebrated in the Statehouse lobby outside the House chambers as members gave the bill...