Legislative Session Week in Review: March 7
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March 7, 20252025 LEGISLATIVE SESSIONA blessed Lenten season to you all!
In some good news, Pope Francis is reportedly in stable condition after his battle with double pneumonia. The Holy Father recorded a message for the faithful who were praying in St. Peter’s Square. He said, "I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your prayers for my health from the square; I accompany you from here. May God bless you and the Virgin protect you. Thank you." May we continue praying for Christ’s vicar on earth and for his continued recovery. Read the full story HERE.
Brad Sigmon is scheduled to be executed at Broad River Correctional Institute in Columbia this evening, March 7, at 6:00 p.m. Please join our prayer vigil outside the facility to pray for Sigmon, the souls of victims Gladys and William Larke, and for an end to the death penalty in South Carolina and our nation. Please reach out to Brian Hansen at [email protected] for more information on the vigil.
This week, the State House tackled many important issues, ranging from vaccine mandates to protection for the unborn.
See below for the South Carolina Legislature and national updates!StateMar. 5 — The Human Life Protection Act (H. 3457) was heard in a House Judiciary subcommittee. A similar bill was introduced in 2023 but was not signed into law. H. 3457 would protect all preborn children from abortion in our state.
The bill provides that in the case of extreme medical emergency or risk of serious harm, doctors may continue to perform medical procedures or life-saving treatments to save the life of the mother. However, even in these cases, abortion — a direct attack on the preborn child in the womb with the intention of ending his or her life — is never a medical necessity. Doctors must work to save both the life of the mother and the life of the child in her womb. (Read more: Catholic News Agency)
The subcommittee heard over three hours of testimony and did not take a vote on the legislation. Abortion is the greatest evil we face in our world today because it involves the killing of a human person. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) instructs the faithful that the threat of abortion remains our pre-eminent priority (Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship). Join the Catholic Conference in prayer that the lives of the preborn will soon receive the protections they deserve in our state and around the world.NationMar. 6 — The U.S. Senate did not pass S. 9, the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2025. The bill, which successfully passed the House of Representatives, would have prevented federally funded athletic programs from allowing men to compete in women’s and girls’ sports under Title XI.
On behalf of the USCCB, Bishops Robert Barron and David O’Connell, CM, released a statement.
“The teaching of the Catholic Church calls us to advocate for the equal dignity of men and women, recognizing that God created us male and female. This legislation would ensure a level playing field for women and girls to compete in fairness and safety with other females.”
Read the full statement HERE.