Thursday, March 17, 2005

These people never rest:

Pierre, S.D. -- Gov. Mike Rounds signed a series of anti-abortion bills, including one that requires doctors to tell women the procedure ends the lives of humans, his office announced Thursday....

One of the four new laws requires doctors to inform pregnant women, in writing and in person, no later than two hours before an abortion that the procedure ends the lives of humans and terminates the constitutional relationship women have with their fetuses.


Whatever the hell that means. And as for that equation of fetuses and "humans," there's no indication so far that South Dakota plans to lower the drinking age to 20 years and 3 months.

Women also must be told that some women die during abortions and the procedure can lead to later depression and other problems....

Rounds, a Republican elected in 2002, also signed a bill that will automatically ban most abortions in South Dakota if the U.S. Supreme Court reverses its 1973 Roe decision and gives states authority to prohibit abortion. The only exceptions would be cases where a woman's life is in danger. Doctors who perform illegal abortions could receive up to two years in prison.


Got that? No exception for rape or incest. That goes into effect the day Roe is overturned.

...Another bill signed by Rounds tightens the state's parental notification law to require parents to be told within 24 hours if their minor daughter receives an emergency abortion to protect her life or health. The minor could seek an exception through a court order.

A fourth new law establishes a state task force to study the history of abortion since 1973 and to see if other laws need changing. Abortion opponents said science, medicine and technology have changed considerably since the Roe v. Wade decision.

About 800 abortions are done each year in South Dakota.


And clearly, before these guys are done, there'll be at least twice as many hoops to jump through if you decide to get one.

(Link via Democratic Underground.)

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