Sioux Falls, S.D., Mar 4, 2011 / 03:57 am
South Dakota's Senate voted on March 2 to pass legislation requiring women to wait 72 hours and be provided counseling before undergoing an abortion.
In a 21-13 vote, the Senate approved HB 1217, which mandates that a licensed physician first meet with a woman considering an abortion, discuss the documented risks with her, and schedule the procedure no earlier than 72 hours after the assessment. The bill now awaits signature from Republican Gov. Dennis Daugaard.
The Catholic Diocese of Sioux Falls strongly supported the bill, saying it would provide the necessary “informed consent that must be given to mothers considering an abortion so that they are protected and not coerced.”
“This additional protection will also help to insure that mothers are as fully aware as possible of the implications and ramifications of the grave decision to terminate the most sacred gift of life,” read a diocesan statement.
The legislation also requires that that prior to an abortion being performed in the state, a licensed physician must determine during the preliminary consultation that the mother's decision to abort is not the result of any coercion. The doctor must also obtain the approximate age of the father of the unborn child, to see if a significant age difference is a coercive factor or influence.