S. Dakota House Committee Approves Bill To Require Doctors To Provide More Abortion Information

Main Category: Abortion
Article Date: 13 Feb 2005 - 16:00 PDT

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The South Dakota House State Affairs Committee on Wednesday unanimously approved a bill... (HB 1166) that would require doctors to provide more information to women seeking abortions in the state, the AP/Aberdeen American News reports (Kafka, AP/Aberdeen American News, 2/9). The bill, sponsored by state Rep. Roger Hunt (R), would declare that abortion terminates the life of a human being and require physicians to more fully inform women about the risks and consequences of abortion and alternatives to the procedure, such as adoption (Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, 2/2). The measure also would establish that women have a relationship with the fetus until birth and that the state has an interest in "protecting" that relationship, according to the AP/American News. Hunt said he proposed the bill to make sure that women considering abortion are "fully educated on the risks of abortion and will clearly understand that they are making decisions to end the lives of their babies," the AP/American News reports. Opponents of the legislation have questioned the measure's constitutionality, according to the AP/American News. The House State Affairs Committee also has unanimously approved legislation (HB 1233) that would establish a task force to study abortion, the AP/American News reports (AP/Aberdeen American News, 2/9). Under the measure, which also was sponsored by Hunt, the task force would report its findings to the state Legislature and the governor by Dec. 1 (Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, 2/2).

"Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork.org kaisernetwork.org. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/repro The Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.

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