A House panel is endorsing two bills that prohibit the use of the abortion pill.
One of those bans use of the pills in certain cases. Both bills are brought by Republican candidates for governor this year.
Both bills aimed at the abortion pill come in response to the FDA’s loosening of restrictions on medication abortions. The bills are pending on the House floor.
Nearly 40 percent of 125 abortions provided in 2020 in South Dakota were done by pill.
One bill pans the use of the pills outright. That’s brought by Rep. Steve Haugaard. The former Republican speaker of the house from Sioux Falls says he wants to make sure medication abortion is not used widely.
“I’m just trying to respect the fact that life does begin at a specific time. We should protect that life, no matter if it’s a few weeks old or just conceived," Haugaard says. "That’s my concern is we need to have a respect for life.”
Haugaard is challenging Gov. Kristi Noem for the Republican nomination. The primary election is in June.
Noem’s bill prevents telemedicine prescriptions for the abortion pill. The state already requires two visits for an abortion. This bill requires pregnant people return to an abortion facility 14 days after taking the medication.
Noem says Haugaard’s bill bans the drugs altogether. She says that could be detrimental for women who are dealing with something other than abortion. The pills have other uses including ulcer treatment, labor inducement and miscarriage management.
“I don’t know what he’s trying to do with his pro-life bills. I think he’s trying to draft policy to be more conservative than me because he’s running for governor,” Noem says. “But he’s writing very bad policy.”
Noem’s proposal is already an executive order, but that order is held up in the courts. Planned Parenthood and the ACLU of South Dakota challenged the rule. A federal judge granted a preliminary injunction, blocking enforcement of the rule. A federal district court found the requirements medically unnecessary.
