South Dakota Legislature Approves Four Bills That Would Restrict Abortion Access in State; Measures Sent to Governor

Main Category: Abortion
Article Date: 04 Mar 2005 - 8:00 PDT

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The South Dakota Legislature this week approved four bills that would restrict abortion access in the state, sending all four measures to Gov. Mike Rounds (R), who "staunchly" opposes abortion rights, the... AP/Aberdeen American News reports (Kafka, AP/Aberdeen American News, 2/28). The state Senate on Wednesday approved 32-2 state House changes made to a bill (SB 193) that would tighten existing state laws on parental notification for minors seeking abortion, the AP/Aberdeen American News reports (AP/Aberdeen American News, 3/2). The measure would require parents to be notified within 24 hours of emergency abortions performed on their minor daughters and also would tighten the current state definition of a parent to ensure that nonparents cannot take minors across state lines to access abortion services. The measure includes a clause that would allow minors to seek a court order to avoid parental notification for emergency abortions (Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, 2/25). The state House on Wednesday approved 63-4 the state Senate's changes to legislation (HB 1233) that would establish a task force to study abortion, the AP/Aberdeen American News reports (Kafka, AP/Aberdeen American News, 3/2). Under the measure, sponsored by state Rep. Roger Hunt (R), the task force would report its findings to the state Legislature and the governor by Dec. 1 (Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, 2/25).

Other Bills
The state Senate on Monday voted 24-10 to approve a measure (HB 1166) that would require doctors to provide more information to women seeking abortions in the state, according to the AP/American News (Kafka, AP/Aberdeen American News, 2/28). The bill, which also was sponsored by Hunt, 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. 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 (Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, 2/25). The state Senate on Monday also voted 25-9 to approve a measure (HB 1249) that would ban abortion in the state unless the procedure could save the life of a pregnant woman. State senators rejected amendments to the bill that would have made exceptions for rape, incest or protecting the health of a pregnant woman (AP/Aberdeen American News, 2/28). Under the legislation, anyone who performs an abortion procedure could be charged with a felony and sentenced to up to two years in prison, but women who undergo illegal abortions would not be charged. However, the measure would go into effect only if the U.S. Supreme Court strikes down the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, which voided state abortion bans. The state House approved the measure earlier this month (Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, 2/25).

"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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