For Immediate Release: February 29, 2024
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Measure Stops Abortion Lobby Misinformation from Endangering Women
Pierre, S.D. – A first-of-its-kind bipartisan abortion bill to protect pregnant women’s lives is headed to the governor’s desk. The Med Ed Bill that was approved by the Senate by a 31-3 vote today is sponsored by Sen. Erin Tobin (R), Rep. Taylor Rehfeldt (R), Rep. Joh Hansen (R), Rep. Oren Lesmeister (D), and 26 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, including Oklahoma and Kentucky attorneys general issued advisory opinions.
The bill passed through House and Senate state affairs committees with only one instance of opponent testimony. The sole group that publicly spoke against the Med Ed legislation was the ACLU. Kelsey Pritchard, state public affairs director for SBA Pro-Life America, commented:
“South Dakota is showing the rest of the nation how to protect women’s lives from the misinformation surrounding abortion laws. This bipartisan bill is uncontroversial, and a policy that pro-choice and pro-life Americans alike should support. We should all be supportive of making it abundantly clear that pregnant women can and must receive emergency care.”
Sen. Erin Tobin said on the Senate floor today:
“Our laws have always allowed moms to receive treatment for miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy, as well as lifesaving care and medical emergency, and they still do. . . HB 1224 is an actual way to battle misinformation in the state of South Dakota. We as legislators representing mothers, babies, and families can make sure our trigger law is understood by all and allow comfort and reassurance as we grow our families and communities.”
Those who testified in favor of the bill yesterday in Senate State Affairs included Ian Fury of Gov. Kristi Noem’s office, the secretary of the Department of Health, the Attorney General’s Office, SD Right To Life and Sanford Health. Ally Brandner, lobbyist for Sanford Health, said in the hearing:
“At Sanford, we realize that we are entrusted with both the life of the pregnant mother and the child, and we appreciate the sponsor’s efforts to provide clarity.”
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.
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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