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Bill Prevents Adoption Agencies From Being 'Pregnancy Help Centers'

South Dakota lawmakers are moving forward with a bill that changes which organizations are considered pregnancy help centers. House Bill 1180 adds to a law passed three years ago that requires women seeking an abortion first attend counseling.

Supporters of House Bill 1180 say the measure tweaks 2011’s anti-coercion law. The bill adds a new provision that requires pregnancy help centers to report information about their counselors every year. That way the state can confirm the counselors are licensed.

More controversially, HB 1180 tightens the definition of a “pregnancy help center.” It also specifically prevents an agency that places children for adoption from being a registered pregnancy help center.

Representative Scott Ecklund says adoption providers have a vested interest in what a woman decides.

"The way it is right now, you have people that can offer adoption, and that’s not really neutral then, you know," Ecklund says. "So this would allow then for a person who is being counseled prior to abortion to have a very neutral, safe place. I’m all for adoption totally, and I’m pro-life; I don’t hide that at all. This bill just tightens up the bill as it already is already written."

The law already prevents abortion providers from being registered pregnancy help centers.

Mitch Richter represents the South Dakota Campaign for Healthy Families. He says members of his group don’t support the initial law, and they don’t support this addition, either.

"We believe that women should be given all their legally available options, and in years past proponents have argued that women need more information and help making decisions.Yet, despite this body’s direction, the legislation before you today would seek to remove adoption agencies, perhaps the ones that are most qualified to discuss their own services, as qualified pregnancy help center providers," Richter says. "We believe that this is counter to the purported intent of the law and counter to the goal of providing women with all of their available options and information."

Supporters of the measure say the bill allows a pregnancy help center to refer women to adoption agencies, but it prevents adoption agencies from being help centers. Opponents say they don’t want to see a reduction in pregnancy help centers because of the bill.

The committee vote on HB 1180 split along party lines. The pregnancy help center bill moves to the House floor with a vote of 9 to 3.

Federal courts have upheld some elements of the 2011 law. Other portions are still under review.

Kealey Bultena grew up in South Dakota, where her grandparents took advantage of the state’s agriculture at nap time, tricking her into car rides to “go see cows.” Rarely did she stay awake long enough to see the livestock, but now she writes stories about the animals – and the legislature and education and much more. Kealey worked in television for four years while attending the University of South Dakota. She started interning with South Dakota Public Broadcasting in September 2010 and accepted a position with television in 2011. Now Kealey is the radio news producer stationed in Sioux Falls. As a multi-media journalist, Kealey prides herself on the diversity of the stories she tells and the impact her work has on people across the state. Kealey is always searching for new ideas. Let her know of a great story! Find her on Facebook and twitter (@KealeySDPB).