Abortion bill introduced
Posted: Wednesday, January 16, 2008
PIERRE, S.D. (AP) -- South Dakota has tough abortion restrictions, but state lawmakers will decide if one more hurdle should be required.
A bill was filed Tuesday in the Legislature to require abortion facilities, such as the Planned Parenthood clinic in Sioux Falls, to offer sonograms to pregnant women and girls.
SB88, offered by state Sen. Dennis Schmidt, R-Rapid City, would prevent abortions from being done without first asking if females want to view the ultrasound images of their fetuses.
"Maybe they would think, 'Well, maybe I'll not go through with it.' It's their decision," Schmidt said.
The measure would not make females view sonograms, but places that provide abortions would at least have ask if they'd like to see them, he said.
SB88 also would require annual reports on how many females viewed sonograms, how many did not, and how many of each of those groups went ahead with abortions, Schmidt said.
Kate Looby, state director of Planned Parenthood, said the legislation is unnecessary.
"South Dakota already has some of the most restrictive laws in the country regulating abortion," she said. "This is just another attempt to manipulate women who are already facing a very difficult, private decision."
Looby said the bill will do nothing to prevent unintended pregnancies or prevent the need for abortion. Lawmakers should instead spend their time on solutions to the problem of unintended pregnancies, she said.
"This is just one more piece of divisive legislation pitting legislators against each other," Looby added. "South Dakotans are looking for real solutions to reduce the need for abortion, not more abortion politics."
Last year, a state Senate panel rejected legislation that would have required women to view the ultrasound images before getting abortions. The vote was 5-2.
The Health and Human Services Committee killed the bill after opponents said the requirement would put undue stress on women seeking abortions and would have amounted to government interference in the relationship between doctors and patients.
A late-December survey of 100 South Dakota lawmakers by The Associated Press showed that 48 would support a measure requiring that women be offered a chance to see a sonogram before getting an abortion, 31 oppose it and 21 were undecided.
The National Right to Life Committee has been pushing sonogram legislation, and Schmidt said other states have passed such laws.
A bill was filed Tuesday in the Legislature to require abortion facilities, such as the Planned Parenthood clinic in Sioux Falls, to offer sonograms to pregnant women and girls.
SB88, offered by state Sen. Dennis Schmidt, R-Rapid City, would prevent abortions from being done without first asking if females want to view the ultrasound images of their fetuses.
"Maybe they would think, 'Well, maybe I'll not go through with it.' It's their decision," Schmidt said.
The measure would not make females view sonograms, but places that provide abortions would at least have ask if they'd like to see them, he said.
SB88 also would require annual reports on how many females viewed sonograms, how many did not, and how many of each of those groups went ahead with abortions, Schmidt said.
Kate Looby, state director of Planned Parenthood, said the legislation is unnecessary.
"South Dakota already has some of the most restrictive laws in the country regulating abortion," she said. "This is just another attempt to manipulate women who are already facing a very difficult, private decision."
Looby said the bill will do nothing to prevent unintended pregnancies or prevent the need for abortion. Lawmakers should instead spend their time on solutions to the problem of unintended pregnancies, she said.
"This is just one more piece of divisive legislation pitting legislators against each other," Looby added. "South Dakotans are looking for real solutions to reduce the need for abortion, not more abortion politics."
Last year, a state Senate panel rejected legislation that would have required women to view the ultrasound images before getting abortions. The vote was 5-2.
The Health and Human Services Committee killed the bill after opponents said the requirement would put undue stress on women seeking abortions and would have amounted to government interference in the relationship between doctors and patients.
A late-December survey of 100 South Dakota lawmakers by The Associated Press showed that 48 would support a measure requiring that women be offered a chance to see a sonogram before getting an abortion, 31 oppose it and 21 were undecided.
The National Right to Life Committee has been pushing sonogram legislation, and Schmidt said other states have passed such laws.
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