FEBRUARY 21st SOUTH DAKOTA UPDATE

Senate Panel Defeats Newest South Dakota Abortion Ban

FEB. 21st, 2007 . - A South Dakota bill to ban most abortions in a direct challenge to Roe versus Wade was rejected by the Senate Committee Panel.  

This is the 3rd time in 4 short years anti-choice fanatics have tried to pass legislation that would bar abortions in South Dakota.

By a surprising 8 to 1 vote, the Senate panel rejected the antis newest attempt to restrict a woman's Constitutional right to choice. As you know, The South Dakota Legislature passed an even stricter Abortion Ban last year. But after a bitter battle, last November voters let their lawmakers and the Legislature know exactly how they felt about that heinous Ban. It was over-whelming defeated.

Anti-choice supporters in South Dakota were hoping to use whatever law they can get passed to force the U.S. Supreme Court to reconsider its 1973 ruling giving women the Constitutional right to an abortion. Many other states have been waiting in the wings to see whether or not they will introduce the same Ban based on whether or not the anti-choice faction in South Dakota is successful.

Anti-choice State Rep. Gordon Howie, this newest bill's sponsor, said he was still going to try to bring the bill to the full Senate despite the Senate panel's decision today. It is believed he will have a difficult time finding the votes to revive this bill. Taxpayers are furious their hard-earned money and the legislature's time is again being wasted on an issue they have already voted on -- and sent a loud and clear message this past November -- they do not want this or any other Ban. They want their representatives to focus on some of South Dakota's other real pressing problems.

Millions of taxpayers' dollars have already been spent trying to pass an Abortion Ban in South Dakota. Yet according to the clinic in Sioux Falls, there are only about 800 abortions done throughout the entire state each year. It doesn't take a genius to do the math! I don't blame the voters of South Dakota for being so furious at this blatant waste of their money.

Stay tuned. The antis have vowed they won't give up until Roe versus Wade is overturned! This won't be last we hear from them.

 

BACKGROUND ON THIS SD BATTLE

House Bill 1293 Clears First Hurdle in South Dakota legislature Committee Votes To Approve New Revised Abortion Ban

February 12, 2007

     Here we go again!  Anti-choice activists unhappy with the over-whelming and resounding defeat this past November 2006 of their very restrictive Abortion Ban reintroduced a different bill, 1293 in this new session.  Unlike the previous Ban, House Bill 1293,  this new abortion ban contains exceptions for rape, incest, and the health of the mother has cleared it's first hurdle in the South Dakota legislature.

     The House State Affairs Committee voted to approve this new Abortion Ban bill. 

     Battles like this are nothing new in South Dakota.  The South Dakota legislature had argued every year for the past few sessions whether or not a woman should have the right to choose.

Despite 32 out of 35 Legislative Districts, over 50% voted to overturn the abortion ban and in 43 out of 66 counties, over 50% of voters rejected the abortion ban just 3 short months ago and many feeling it is way too soon to discuss yet another abortion ban – anti-choice supporters said citizens wanted a Ban reintroduced now. 

      Most disagree. They feel it is time for lawmakers to quit focusing on social issues which shouldn’t even be in politics and rather focus on more important issues like taxes, education, illegal immigration and minimum wages.

      Those who have fought for a woman’s right to choose know all too well that this bill hurts women who are victims of rape and incest because it forces them to relive their heinous experience and unfortunately turns clinics into crime scenes and interferes with the business of helping all patients who come to the clinics for help no matter what their problems.

       HB 1293 opponents say this bill requires healthcare providers and physicians to become law enforcement agents.
 
     Anti-choice activists claim they will not rest until all abortions are stopped in South Dakota.  Too bad they don’t have the same commitment to sex education and self-defense classes for women and children who are the ones being victimized.

      There was an amendment added to this new Abortion Ban Monday saying that if the legislature passes it and the Governor signs it, it would automatically be put on the next general election ballot to be voted on before it would go into law. 

     HB 1293 may have passed the Committee but now it goes to South Dakota’s full House for debate. 

      Please contact your representatives right away by phone or by email and tell them you are against passage of HB 1293!!!

Remind them that the voters gave them their marching orders this past November -- and you want them to oppose HB 1293 and to quit wasting taxpayer dollars!

         http://legis.state.sd.us/sessions/2007/mem.htm

Write a letter to the editor detailing your opposition to this dangerous legislation.

If you live in South Dakota, set up phone trees and alert friends to call their representatives right away.

Here are some key points to make when talking to these legislators:

• HB 1293 amounts to unwarranted and unwanted government interference into the lives of South Dakota families, who do not want their state government making medical decisions for them and their family.

• The abortion ban would criminalize health care in South Dakota by penalizing doctors for providing their patients with all available health care options – options guaranteed them by the U.S. Constitution.

• If this law is passed, it will be challenged in court and the state will be forced to defend it, costing taxpayers millions -- money that could be better spent on education, economic development and health care.  This issue was decided on in November.  Voters resoundingly voted to reject government interference in their lives.

     Even if you don’t live in South Dakota – email the legislators and editors of newspapers if you can. 

If I were a taxpayer in South Dakota I would be calling for the removal of these legislators who are acting so irresponsibly by wasting taxpayers’ money on something that has already been settled!

 

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Republicans for Choice | 205 South Whiting Street, Suite #260 | Alexandria, VA 22304 (703) 212-0890 | gop4choice@erols.com

"This Republicans For Choice committee is a political action group and is not a part of, or affiliated with, Planned Parenthood."