The South Dakota Campaign for Healthy Families has collected almost double the number of signatures needed for the goal of repealing the state's draconian abortion ban. It looks like the abortion ban will soon be on hold until voters decide the issue in November.
"If at least 16,728 signatures are certified as valid, the scheduled July 1 implementation of the ban would be nullified and voters would be allowed to decide the issue in a November election."
The South Dakota ban permits no exceptions for rape or incest and provides for the imprisonment of doctors who perform abortions. Under the nightmare legislation, even children are required to reproduce their rapists.
Cuz rightwingers love the fetus but hate the child.
South Dakota Campaign for Healthy Families:
Today, the South Dakota Campaign for Healthy Families announced the filing of nearly 38,000 signatures on petitions to repeal the extreme abortion ban passed by the legislature and signed into law by Governor Mike Rounds on March 6. Petitions will be filed with the Secretary of State at 2 pm today.
At press events in seven South Dakota communities, supporters of the repeal announced the tremendous support they received circulating petitions across the state.
* 1,200 volunteers from 138 cities and towns circulated the petitions.
* All petitions were circulated by volunteers as opposed to paid staff used by many petition drives.
* People from every county in the state have signed the petitions and are calling for the repeal of this extreme measure.
* Business leaders and homemakers, ministers and doctors, nurses and teachers, students, construction workers and store clerks joined our effort to ask the voters of South Dakota to repeal the extreme ban on abortions.
"This abortion ban was pushed by radical groups who want our state to be the center of the national legal battle waged in front of the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn Roe vs. Wade," said Jan Nicolay, Co-Chair of the South Dakota Campaign for Healthy Families. "Defending this extreme law, that is clearly unconstitutional, could cost the taxpayers of South Dakota millions of dollars and drag the good people of South Dakota into the center of the national abortion debate," Nicolay continued.
"While the South Dakota legislature refused to let voters have their say on this important issue, we will offer them that chance," said Dr. Maria Bell, the official sponsor of the petition drive. "We are so proud and humbled today, to announce that 37,846 South Dakota voters have signed the petitions and are calling for the repeal of this extreme ban on abortions," Bell continued.
Abortion Rape Feminism Reproductive Rights Pro Choice Roe South Dakota Patriarchy