COLUMBIA, S.C. - South Carolina has several abortion bills in the Legislature including a proposal to erect a monument outside the Statehouse memorializing "unborn children who have given their lives because of legal abortion."

One of the bill's co-sponsors Rep. Thad Viers said he's hopeful the monument will be built.

"It's symbolic," said Viers, R-Myrtle Beach. "I think it has a great chance of getting out of the House. The reason I think it has a chance is it will require no money upfront but it would allow us to raise money for the construction of the monument and maybe at a later time go back and get some public money."

Even though Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter, D-Orangeburg, doesn't support the monument, she said the measure has a chance of passing "because of the political climate we're in as far as the whole pro-life movement." She said her initial reaction to the bill was an eye-rolling "Oh my goodness."

"Rather than a monument to the unborn children, I'd rather we focus some time talking about the children who are already here," she said.

Viers thinks the bill, currently in committee, will pass the House before members adjourn this year. If the bill doesn't clear the Senate this year, it would still be alive next year. South Carolina's Legislature is in the first year of its two-year session.

Johnny Gardner, who has spent the past 12 years outside the Statehouse protesting abortion, came up with the idea for the monument. Gardner said he envisions a 6-foot statue of a fetus at 11 to 12 weeks gestation.

"I believe the Lord is going to give us this monument, but I don't know how long it's going to take," he said.

Another abortion bill would establish the "Right to Life Act," which states that life begins at fertilization and is protected by the law at the time of fertilization.

A third bill is a joint resolution that would hold a statewide referendum to see if South Carolina voters want to amend the Constitution to allow states to prohibit abortion. Both bills have been referred to committees.

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On the Net: http://www.scstatehouse.net/

H.3190: Right to Life Act

H.3188: Unborn Children's Monument

H.3590: Statewide Referendum