Two bills restricting abortion in South Carolina and Nebraska failed to advance through their state's respective Republican-dominated legislatures on Thursday.
In Nebraska, a vote to end the debate so the bill could advance in the legislature failed by one vote. In South Carolina, senators rejected a bill that would have banned nearly all abortions in the state.
The failure of these two bills is a victory for women's rights campaigners nationwide. This gives hope that the restrictive policies that have been enacted toward reproductive rights could be turned around.
The failure of these bills to advance is a frustrating setback. The vast majority of the constituents of these states support these bills aimed at protecting the most vulnerable, and the lawmakers should have followed suit and passed them.