For Immediate Release: February 14, 2024
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Measure Stops Abortion Industry Misinformation from Endangering Women
Pierre, S.D. – The SD House of Representatives has passed a bi-partisan bill to protect pregnant women’s lives. The Med Ed Bill that received approval by a 63-6 vote is sponsored Rep. Taylor Rehfeldt (R), Rep. Joh Hansen (R), Rep. Oren Lesmeister (D), and 27 other lawmakers to establish clarity to medical professionals on the ability and necessity of providing emergency care to pregnant women under South Dakota’s life at conception law.
The South Dakota Med Ed Bill is the first legislation of its kind drafted to end the confusion caused by the abortion industry through direct education to medical professionals. Other states have taken similar steps administratively: The Louisiana Health Department put out guidance on their life of the mother provision and Oklahoma and Kentucky attorneys general issued advisory opinions.
Under HB 1224, the materials will be established through the Department of Health and with input from the attorney general, medical professionals and legal experts. The video will cover the details of the state’s abortion law, the most common medical conditions that threaten the life or health of a pregnant woman, the standards of care for treating a pregnant woman in a medical emergency, and a practitioner’s ability to use reasonable medical judgment in all situations.
Kelsey Pritchard, state public affairs director for SBA Pro-Life America, thanked Rep. Taylor Rehfeldt for bringing the legislation:
“We thank the sponsors and those who voted yes today to defend South Dakota moms. South Dakota is showing the rest of the nation how to protect women’s lives by making it abundantly clear that pregnant women can and must receive timely emergency care under our pro-life law. Abortion activists have sown confusion on this point around the nation to justify their agenda for no limits on abortion. This lie not only deceives but puts women in danger, and a Med Ed policy is the solution.”
During her comments on the House floor, Rep. Rehfeldt said:
“Mother’s lives are worth having a conversation about. Mothers lives are worth having a bill. The Department of Health is supportive of this bill as well as multiple stakeholders including healthcare, including some of our friends from organizations, and the best part about it is that it requires medical and legal expertise – to rely on their expertise so that we can best take care of moms.”
The bill passed in House State Affairs earlier this week with overwhelming support and zero testimony in opposition. Those who testified in favor of the bill included the Governor’s Office, the Department of Health, SBA Pro-Life America, SD Right to Life and Sanford Health. In her testimony on behalf of Sanford, Grace Beck said:
“At Sanford Health we recognize that each time a mother walks through our doors we’ve been entrusted with the health of two patients. The mother and the child. We are supportive of House Bill 1224 and appreciative of the prime sponsor’s efforts to provide clarity around our abortion laws.”
Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America is a network of more than one million pro-life Americans nationwide, dedicated to ending abortion by electing national leaders and advocating for laws that save lives, with a special calling to promote pro-life women leaders.
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