Unfortunately, HB 1237, the bill that excludes weekends and holidays from counting towards the 72-hour abortion waiting period, passed the South Dakota Senate by a vote of 24-9 today.
HB 1237 does nothing to help women. Instead it is just another piece of legislation aimed at interfering with a woman’s personal medical decisions.
The people of South Dakota decisively voted to protect access to abortion in 2006 and 2008, yet politicians in Pierre continue to eliminate access.
Posted at 05:08 PM in 72 Hour Waiting Period, abortion, local issues, local politics, take action | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
HB 1237 was assigned to the Senate State Affairs Committee and could be heard as soon as Wednesday.
That means it is time to send emails to the committee members asking them to vote no!
HB 1237 is not about helping women. HB 1237 is just another attempt at interfering with a woman’s personal medical decisions.
It is time to remind the committee members that the voters of South Dakota decisively voted to protect abortion access in 2006 and 2008.
Please take a minute to email the committee members right away.
Stay tuned---we will have more ways for you to get involved and help in this battle against HB 1237 coming soon.
Posted at 02:57 PM in 72 Hour Waiting Period, abortion, local issues, local politics, SD Laws, take action, volunteer opportunities | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
HB 1237 is the latest cynical attempt by SD Legislators to interfere with a woman’s personal medical decisions. South Dakota Legislators need to know that South Dakotans do not support this bill!
Please add your name to our petition now!
South Dakotans decisively voted to protect access to abortion services in 2006 and 2008. Yet politicians in Pierre continue to try to eliminate abortion in the state.
Help us remind the South Dakota Legislature now that South Dakotans are tired of this debate!
Posted at 06:12 PM in 72 Hour Waiting Period, abortion, local issues, local politics, take action, volunteer opportunities | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
On Friday, HB 1237, as amended, passed out of the House Judiciary committee with a Do Pass recommendation by a vote of 9-2 with 2 excused.
Thank you to those of you that contacted the House Judiciary committee, signed our petition, joined us in Pierre on Friday, or have taken the time to talk to legislators and friends about this bill.
The KDLT video found here has some footage from our rally on the steps prior to the hearing!
While our first attempt at stopping this atrocious bill was not successful, the battle is not over yet.
There are still several opportunities to put a stop to this. And we will need your help in this battle.
If you do not know who your Representatives are, you can find out here.
Do you want to do more to help?
Posted at 03:47 PM in 72 Hour Waiting Period, abortion, local issues, local politics, SD Laws, take action, volunteer opportunities | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Do you live in District 5, 11, 14, 18, 22, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 32, or 35? (Find out your district here.)
If so we need your help right now! HB 1237 will be in the House Judiciary committee on Monday morning.
House Judiciary Members:
District 5 Representative Melissa Magstadt
District 11 Representative Christine Erickson
District 14 Representative Marc Feinstein
District 14 Representative Anne Hajek
District 18 Representative Mike Stevens
District 22 Representative Peggy Gibson
District 23 Representative Charles Hoffman
District 25 Representative Jon Hansen
District 27 Representative Kevin Killer
District 29 Representative Dean Wink
District 31 Representative Timothy Johns
District 32 Representative Brian Gosch
District 35 Representative Don Kopp
South Dakotans voted in 2006 and 2008. We must remind our legislature that South Dakotans want safe access and for women to make their own personal medical decisions.
Want to do more to help?
You can also show that you stand against HB 1237 by signing our petition here!
We are all in this battle together and every email helps!
Email South Dakota Public Affairs Manager, Megan, to see how else you can help!
Thank you so much for your support and help.
Posted at 03:38 PM in 72 Hour Waiting Period, abortion, lobbying, local issues, local politics, SD Laws, take action, volunteer opportunities | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
HB 1237 would make it so that weekends, federal holidays, and state holidays could not count towards the mandatory 72 hour wait period.
What are the sponsors of this bill trying to say? The theory on the original 72 hour wait period was that women needed these 72 hours to think about their decision.
So do they think that women don’t know how to think on the weekends and holidays?
This bill simply demonstrates that SD’s legislature is hostile to women and their personal medical decision making.
When will SD politicians stop trying to get involved in a woman’s personal medical decisions?
HB 1237 is scheduled to be heard in the House Judiciary Committee on Monday February 11th at 10:00AM.
The members of the House Judiciary committee can be found here.
Posted at 10:28 AM in 72 Hour Waiting Period, abortion, lobbying, local issues, local politics, SD Laws, take action, volunteer opportunities | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
HCR 1002
HCR 1002 passed the House 60-10 on 01/23/13 and passed the Senate 23-10(2 excused) on 1/28/13.
We ask you to take the time to thank the 20 legislatures that do seem to remember what the voters said in 2006 & 2008 and voted no on HCR 1002.
Those legislators are:
Representative Feinstein Senator Adelstein
Representative Gibson Senator Bradford
Representative Hawks Senator Jones
Representative Hawley Senator Kirkeby
Representative Heinert Senator Lucas
Representative Killer Senator Soholt
Representative Parsley Senator Tidemann
Representative Schrempp Senator Tieszen
Representative Soli Senator Vehle
Representative Wismer Senator Welke
Go send an email of thanks to one or all of these legislators who stood with us on HCR 1002.
HB 1236
HB 1236 was introduced on Monday. The text of the bill can be found here.
We are seeking out more information on this bill and will keep you updated on it in the coming days/weeks.
HB 1237
HB 1237 was also introduced on Monday. The text of this bill can be found here. This bill would change the 72 hour wait period so that it cannot include Saturdays, Sundays, federal holidays, or state holidays. You can read a write-up from Mother Jones on this bill here.
We are still waiting to find out when both of these bills will be heard in committee. They are both assigned to the House Judiciary Committee.
Check back soon for more information and how you can help us this legislative session!
Posted at 09:03 AM in 72 Hour Waiting Period, abortion, local politics, SD Laws | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
On the 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade how did South Dakota legislators decide to honor the decision?
By filing a concurrent resolution urging the Supreme Court of the United States to overturn Roe v. Wade.
We do not support this resolution and need your help in letting the legislators know that!
Read the full text of the resolution here.
Please contact your legislators today to tell them that you do not support this resolution and urge them to vote against it.
House: 605-773-3851
Senate: 605-773-3821
Email: http://legis.state.sd.us/email/LegislatorEmail.aspx
Posted at 04:57 PM in federal politics, local politics, take action, volunteer opportunities | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
The Rachel Maddow Show recently visited Planned Parenthood
in South Dakota to highlight and discuss abortion access issues forty years
after abortion was legalized by the landmark Supreme Court case, Roe vs. Wade.
Planned Parenthood is the sole abortion provider in South Dakota. Committed
physicians from the Minnesota travel to South Dakota regularly to ensure that
South Dakota women have access to their full legal range of reproductive
options. If it weren’t for these dedicated doctors, women in South Dakota
would have to travel outside the state to get access to a safe, legal
procedure.
The show is currently slated to air tonight at 8PM central. Make sure
to tune in to see Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota’s
President and CEO, Sarah Stoesz, discuss the important work that Planned
Parenthood is doing in South Dakota to ensure that women have access to basic
reproductive health care they need, whether it’s cancer-screenings, annual
exams, birth control, or abortion.
If you miss the show, be sure to check back— when a video is available we’ll be
sure to share it here!
Posted at 10:18 AM in abortion, federal politics, local politics, SD Laws, Television | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Our legislators are back at work in Pierre and we need to make sure that they focus on what’s important this year rather than getting involved in a woman’s personal medical decisions.
They need to hear from you to know that!
Take a minute to email your legislators and let them know you want them to focus on what’s important during the 2013 legislative session. Education reform and balancing the budget should be their focus rather than getting involved in personal medical decisions.
Abortion is a complex, deeply personal decision that a woman makes in consultation with her doctor, her family and trusted loved ones and advisors based on her unique medical situation.
Our legislators should stay out of this decision.
Thank you for all you do.
Posted at 08:41 AM in lobbying, local politics, take action, volunteer opportunities | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
