Pierre, S.D., Jul 2, 2021 / 17:01 pm
Five pro-life laws went into effect in South Dakota on Thursday.
As of July 1, it is no longer legal to abort a child due to a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome, and it will no longer be legal to require a surrogate to abort a child as part of her surrogacy contract.
SB 183, “An Act to declare certain contract provisions regarding abortion as deceptive acts or practices,” was introduced by state Sen. Lee Schoenbeck (R-05), the president pro tempore of the South Dakota Senate, and Rep. Jon Hansen (R-25), the speaker pro tempore of the House of Representatives.
The legislation makes it illegal to write a contract that “Include(s) a provision in a contract that, under any circumstances, requires a woman to have an abortion, or is intended to compel a woman to have an abortion.”