Tony Beam was elected as vice chair to the board of trustees for the Ethics & Religions Liberty Commission of the SBC. The unanimous vote to elect all the new officers took place during the ERLC meeting in Nashville, Tennessee on September 13th. Beam currently serves as Director of Church & Community Engagement at North…
SOUTH CAROLINA BAPTIST CONVENTION OFFICE OF PUBLIC POLICY URGENT PRO-LIFE UPDATE Earlier today, the South Carolina Supreme Court released their decision on the Fetal Heartbeat Bill. In a strong 4-1 vote, the Court upheld the constitutionality of the Heartbeat Bill and voided the stay that was in place preventing the law from taking effect. Staring…
SCBAPTIST CONVENTION OFFICE OF PUBLIC POLICYLEGISLATIVE UPDATE6/21/2023 HEARTBEAT BILL AT THE SC SUPREME COURT As I am sure you know, the hard fought battle over the Heartbeat Bill cannot be considered won until the S.C. Supreme Court weighs in. On May 25, Gov. Henry McMaster signed the Fetal Heartbeat and Protection from Abortion Act (S474)…
SOUTH CAROLINA BAPTIST CONVENTIONOFFICE OF PUBLIC POLICYLEGISLATIVE UPDATE S.C. Supreme Court Sets Oral Arguments  Following a decision by a majority of this Court that the Fetal Heartbeat and Protection from Abortion Act, S.C. Code Ann. §§ 44-41-610 to -740 (Supp. 2022) (the 2021 Act), was unconstitutional, the South Carolina General Assembly revised the 2021 Act and enacted…
South Carolina Baptist Convention Office of Public Policy URGENT ALERT Today, the South Carolina Senate will take up the Heartbeat Bill. Last week, after a marathon session that saw over 1000 amendments put up to stall and destroy the bill, the House passed S474. Today the Senate is being pummeled by pro-choice advocates who are…
SCBaptist OFFICE OF PUBLIC POLICY LEGISLATIVE UPDATE After a two-day marathon that saw Democrats in the House try to run out the clock by putting up 1000 amendments, the Heartbeat Bill passed the South Carolina House 82-32. The drama began on Tuesday as the House convened with the Republican leadership facing 1000 amendments and numerous…
SOUTH CAROLINA BAPTIST CONVENTION LEGISLATIVE UPDATE Please be much in prayer this weekend and through next week for the South Carolina House. Today (Thursday, May 11) is the official last day of the 2023 Legislative Session. Yesterday, the Governor confirmed he is calling the House back into session beginning Tuesday, May 16. Speaker of the…
SOUTH CAROLINA BAPTIST OFFICE OF PUBLIC POLICY LEGISLATIVE UPDATE As my last update stated, there has been significant movement in the Legislature on passing a pro-life bill before the end of the session (which is Thursday, May 11). S474, passed by the Senate earlier this year, has been amended and is now being debated in…
SCBC OFFICE OF PUBLIC POLICY LEGISLATIVE UPDATE Exciting news! The House and Senate are having discussions that might lead to the passage of a pro-life bill. We are fast approaching the end of the 2023 Legislative session. With only three days to go this week, it will take a minor miracle to get a bill…
On May 2, South Carolina Baptist leaders Tony Wolfe, Tony Beam, Bryant Sims and others visited the State House to meet with legislators, Governor Henry McMaster, and Speaker Murrell Smith. Their mission was to discuss and pray for a pro-life path forward as the legislative session winds down. South Carolina currently has some of the…
