The South Dakota Legislature is deliberating on two extremist anti-abortion bills that threaten reproductive rights in the state. Please take action today to tell legislators to protect reproductive freedom and oppose these dangerous bills.
HB 1130 would ban abortion performed based on the fetus’ sex and would peddle misinformation about “abortion reversal” in the case of medicated abortion. HB 1110 would prohibit abortions if they are performed due to the fetus being diagnosed with Down Syndrome.
Each of these measures employ a favorite tactic of the Religious Right — passing legislation that will restrict access to abortion under the guise of anti-discrimination protections. This is a smoke-and-mirrors attempt to restrict access to reproductive health care without actually increasing resources or social services for people who give birth to children with disabilities. Additionally, spreading disinformation about a so-called “abortion reversal” procedure, which the American Medication Association calls “a patently false and unproven claim unsupported by scientific evidence,” could have potentially deadly consequences.
These bills aim to codify into law beliefs not based on science or morality, but on religion and so-called holy books. The Christian Right has been and remains the primary opponent to women’s reproductive rights. Almost 70 physicians and medical students in South Dakota have signed a letter opposing each bill.
The South Dakota House State Affairs Committee has a hearing scheduled on these bills tomorrow morning at 7:45 a.m. local time. Please take a few moments to contact all members of this committee and urge them to oppose these extremist proposals. Click on the red “Take Action” link below and feel free to use or adapt the talking points provided.
