West Virginia lawmakers passed up the chance Friday to become the first state to approve new legislation restricting access to abortions since the U.S.
Supreme Court's ruling last month removing its protected status as a constitutional right.
In South Carolina, a ban without the exceptions has been introduced. In Arkansas, outgoing GOP Gov. Asa Hutchinson would prefer to add them to the ban that's already in effect, but he has balked at asking lawmakers to address the issue in a special session. The West Virginia bill, which some lawmakers have complained was not vetted by any Senate committees, would ban abortions except in case of rape or incest.
Another approved amendment offered by Greenbrier County Democrat Stephen Baldwin would allow a minor to report a rape to someone covered as a "mandated reporter," such as a pastor or school counselor, who would be required to report the case to authorities. The House version requires law enforcement to be directly contacted.
The state's only abortion clinic initially stopped offering abortions after the latest ruling, but resumed this month as it mounted a court challenge on whether the old ban applied. On July 18, a Charleston judge barred the state from enforcing the ban, ruling it had been superseded by a slew of conflicting modern laws such as a ban on abortion after 20 weeks.
When the debate finally began hours later, Democrats complained that they did not have a final version of the Senate's bill prior to the start of Friday's session that included a dozen amendments.