It looks like anti-choice groups are moving closer to getting their test case for the Supreme Court. The South Dakota House of Represenatives passed a bill, by
47 to 22, that will nearly outlaw
ALL abortions...
Amendments aimed at carving out exemptions for rape, incest and the health of women were rejected. The bill does contain a loophole that allows abortions if women are in danger of dying. Doctors who do those abortions could not be prosecuted.
Now, I have to wonder what would be considered good enough to encompass the
"dying" exemption? Would a woman have to be at death's door, or could it just be a possibility of death? For all intents & purposes, the bill bans all abortions because of the way that standard can be abused.
This bill now moves to the South Dakota Senate & then to the Governor, which are both Republican controlled. Last year, Governor Mike Rounds issued a veto on a similar bill because of "technical" objections to the language, that might have affected other abortion restrictions. However, Rounds is strongly anti-choice & will probably sign this bill...
...And that's not all the South Dakota legislature wants to
pass this session:
One measure would require any abortion facility to get an annual state license and undergo inspections by the state Health Department.
Another would bar the distribution of contraceptives to students on public school property and would prohibit public school employees from referring students to abortion services or family planning services.
Yet another would allow doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other health care workers to refuse to take part in any health service that violates their consciences.