South Dakota law bans nearly all abortions
From: Dean Huffman . (dean@thehuffpeople.net)
Mon Mar 6 15:07:09 2006
..
Legislation sets up court challenge
PIERRE, South Dakota (AP) -- Gov. Mike Rounds signed legislation Monday banning
nearly all abortions in South Dakota, setting up a court fight aimed at
challenging the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion.
The bill would make it a crime for doctors to perform an abortion unless the
procedure was necessary to save the woman's life. It would make no exception
for cases of rape or incest.
Planned Parenthood, which operates the state's only abortion clinic, in Sioux
Falls, has pledged to challenge the measure in court. (Read the text of the
law)
Rounds issued a written statement saying he expects the law will be tied up in
court for years and will not take effect unless the Supreme Court upholds it.
"In the history of the world, the true test of a civilization is how well people
treat the most vulnerable and most helpless in their society. The sponsors and
supporters of this bill believe that abortion is wrong because unborn children
are the most vulnerable and most helpless persons in our society. I agree with
them," Rounds said in the statement.
The governor declined all media requests for interviews Monday.
The Legislature passed the bill last month after supporters argued that the
recent appointment of conservative justices John Roberts and Samuel Alito have
made the Supreme Court more likely to overturn Roe v. Wade.
South Dakota's abortion ban is to take effect July 1, but a federal judge is
likely to suspend it during a legal challenge.
Rounds has said abortion opponents already are offering money to help the state
pay legal bills for the anticipated court challenge. Lawmakers said an
anonymous donor has pledged $1 million to defend the ban, and the Legislature
set up a special account to accept donations for legal fees.
Under the new law, doctors could get up to five years in prison for performing
an illegal abortion.
Rounds previously issued a technical veto of a similar bill passed two years ago
because it would have wiped out all existing restrictions on abortion while the
bill was tied up for years in a court challenge.
The statement he issued Monday noted that this year's bill was written to make
sure existing restrictions will be enforced during the legal battle. Current
state law sets increasingly stringent restrictions on abortions as pregnancy
progresses. After the 24th week, the procedure is allowed only to protect the
woman's health and safety.
About 800 abortions are performed each year in South Dakota. Planned Parenthood
has said other women cross state lines to reach clinics.
http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/03/06/sd.abortionban.ap/index.html
