South Carolina's 6-week, heartbeat abortion bill became law Thursday.
Gov. Henry McMaster had set it as one of his top priorities and signed it as expected.
Planned Parenthood filed a lawsuit to stop it from going into effect.
SC Attorney General Alan Wilson said  his office “will vigorously defend this law in court because there is nothing more important than protecting life.”
The law is similar to abortion laws in a dozen states – all tied up in court. 
Federal law, which supercedes state law, allows abortion under the US Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision.
The House passed its bill by a 79-35 vote after hours of emotional testimony from supporters and opponents.
The Fetal Heartbeat and Protection from Abortion Act, like similar laws  is “blatantly unconstitutional,” said Jenny Black of Planned Parenthood.
Heart beat abortion law backers aim to get the issue before the Supreme Court.
They hope 3 justices appointed by former President Donald Trump will help overturn Roe v. Wade.
The Supreme Court has ruled that abortion is legal until a fetus is viable outside the womb — months after a heartbeat can be detected, Black said.
Planned Parenthood’s lawsuit argues that a high rate of women, especially African Americans, die during or immediately after childbirth in South Carolina. 
The abortion ban would fall hardest on low-income women, who wouldn’t be able to travel to a nearby state where abortion is still permitted, the suit says.

The bill requires doctors to perform ultrasounds to check for a heartbeat in the fetus. If one is detected, the abortion can only be performed if the pregnancy was caused by rape or incest, if there is a fetal anomaly, or if the mother’s life is in danger.

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