With one week left in the legislative session, the bills of concern to Concerned Women for America (CWA) of South Dakota are finally coming to the floor for debate and a vote in the final chamber. Your prayer and action are appreciated as we approach these final votes. We are grateful to the Lord for His guidance and favor.
Mail-Order Abortion Drugs
HB1274 An Act to prohibit the dispensing, distribution, sale, or advertisement of certain articles or things for purposes of an unlawful abortion and provide a criminal and civil penalty therefor.
HB1274 was amended from the original.
Since South Dakota bans abortion, both surgical and chemical, these dangerous and unregulated mail-order abortion pills are coming into our state. About 60% of abortions are committed with this two-regimen process. This amended bill narrows the scope and purpose by providing our Attorney General with the laws he needs to criminalize the distributors of the abortion pills.
Position: Support
Status: HB1274 passed in the House 61-5 on Tuesday, February 24, and now moves to the Senate for a vote, likely on Monday, March 9.
ACTION: Contact your state senator and urge him/her to support HB1274, the Mail-order Abortion Drug bill. See Contact Information below.
Defining Man and Woman in State Law
HB1184 is an Act to define man and woman throughout the state and prohibit funding for anything to the contrary.
HB1184 would ensure that definitions of “boy,” “father,” “female,” “girl,” “male,” “man,” “mother,” “sex,” and “woman” would be reflected in our laws. HB1184 passed in the House on February 24, 57-9.
Position: Support
Status: HB1184 will now go to the Senate, where it will be voted on Monday, March 9.
ACTION: Contact your state senator and ask him/her to support HB1184. See Contact Information Below.
Prenatal Education Bill Advances to the Senate
HB1313 is an Act to require education in prenatal human growth and development.
HB1313 would require our school education standards to show a video showing human growth and development. It must be age-appropriate, at least three minutes long, and part of either a science or health class.
The “Baby Olivia” video was presented to the committee as an option for each school to choose. This video shows the beautiful development of human life in a fact-based manner. Students learn about plant and animal development, so why shouldn’t they learn about human development as well?
Position: Support
Status: HB1313 passed in the House on February 12 with a vote of 52-10-8, and passed in the Senate on March 3, 31-3. HB1313 now awaits the Governor’s signature.
Clarifying “Life of the Mother”
HB1257 is an Act to regulate the performance and reporting of abortions necessary to preserve the life of a pregnant female and to provide a penalty therefor.
Because South Dakota bans abortions except for the life of the mother, the pro-abortion lobby groups are claiming there is confusion when receiving medical care for miscarriages, ectopic pregnancies, etc. HB1257, as amended, will make the distinction of treatment for miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, etc., clear that they are not “abortion.”
Position: Support
Status: HB1257 passed in the House on Tuesday, February 24, with a vote of 60-6, and passed in the Senate on March 3, 31-2. HB1257 now awaits the Governor’s signature.
Parental Control Over App Store
HB1275 is an Act to create requirements for age verification and parental consent for application stores and to provide a penalty therefor. HB1275 gives parents more control over what apps their children can download and access on their phones and other devices.
HB1275 passed in the House on February 20 with a vote of 50-17. HB1275 failed in the Senate State Affairs committee, 5-4, by sending it to the 41st legislative day, effectively killing the bill. We wanted a No vote.
Position: Support
Status: Defeated
Parental Rights
SB190 is an act to codify the rights of parents. A state agency or any political subdivision of this state may not substantially burden the fundamental right of a parent to direct the upbringing, education, health care, and mental health of the parent’s minor child, without demonstrating that the burden imposed on the parent is required by a compelling governmental interest as applied to the parent and the parent’s minor child and is the least restrictive means for furthering that compelling governmental interest.
SB190 passed in the Senate on February 17 by a vote of 19-15 but failed in the House on March 3, 30-36.
Position: Support
Status: Defeated
CONTACT INFORMATION:
- To find out who your senator or two representatives are, go here. Then, to find out how to contact them, go here.
- When emailing, include your district number in the subject line so they know you are from their district.
- Be sure to let them know that you are a member of Concerned Women for America of South Dakota.The more legislators hear from us as an organization, the greater our influence will be as we lobby legislators at the Capitol.
- Please forward this e-alert to others today and ask them to pray and take action.
PRAYER: Father, in these final weeks of the legislative session, help each legislator to understand that You have placed them there to represent Your values in our state. Guide every decision they make and help them seek good solutions to the issues at hand. Rebuke weariness. Instead, refresh them each day with wisdom and discernment. In Jesus’ name. Amen
