South Dakota Democratic woman lawmaker will introduce new abortion ban bill.

[madfloridian]

The last one was introduced by a female Democratic lawmaker, the one that banned all abortions for everything. No exceptions.

This one is being introduced by a female Democratic lawmaker, with some exceptions. But not many. What are the Democrats in South Dakota thinking? Are they thinking they are Republicans?

Voters rejected previous law, but new bill has rape, incest exceptions.

How nice that this SD Democrat is allowing excemptions in her bill. It is almost like women's rights are no longer just assumed. It is almost like they are gone.



JOE KAFKA | THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Rep. Mary Glenski, a Democrat from Sioux Falls, and other legislators announced last month that they were introducing a bill that would ban most abortions in South Dakota.

"It’s far too soon to put our state through something of such a difficult nature again.”

Sen. Julie Bartling, a Democrat and a prime sponsor of last year’s abortion bill

PIERRE, S.D. | Lawmakers who watched as a near-total ban on abortions failed in South Dakota voting booths last year have revived the legislation.

They hope the changes that they made will make the difference in public acceptance. But the bill’s success is far from assured. None of the Legislature’s leaders, notably sponsors of last year’s bill, are joining the effort this year because waging last year’s fight was so exhausting.

“It’s far too soon to put our state through something of such a difficult nature again,” said Sen. Julie Bartling, a Democratic and prime sponsor of last year’s abortion bill.

“The state needs to heal, and I just don’t feel that we need to take this up in this legislative session again,” she said. “The people have spoken.”

And Florida is having serious problems of its own right now in this area, and in the area of contraception. What has happened to this country that people think women have no medical rights? That they have no rights to birth control, that they in some states can soon be prosecuted for having an abortion. I keep thinking our Democrats need to take care of war stuff first, but then there might be few rights left to worry about.

Florida is having its own battle with religious extremism right now.

[BayCityProgressive]

1. These Democrats

are not worth supporting. The national party should withdraw all support from these legislators. A woman's right to choose MUST BE PRESERVED. Women deserve ALL of the rights granted to men.reproductive rights must be expanded, strict affirmative action put into place, and the equal rights ammendment ratified. Democrats need to get out front on womens rights. I live in Michigan and the Democrats muted opposition to the gay marriage and affirmative action bans was disgusting.

[Zhade]

2. But would they do so?

How did they treat the 'Dem' who introduced it last time?

[Hippo_Tron]

3. I don't think the national party pays too much attention to the South Dakota legislature

[Warpy]

7. There is no way I will ever cross the choice line

in any election, and I don't care how close a Democratic majority may be.

It would be like crossing the abolitionist line in the 1850s.

I just can't do it.

A party that struggles without its working class base will be destroyed if it abandons its women.

[Richard Steele]

4. Time to dust off the "South Dakota State Quarter" graphic again....

[MountainLaurel]

6. No shit

About a month ago, I wore my "South Dakota: The Hanger State" t-shirt and Mr. Laurel commented that I should get rid of it because the law had been repealed. Looks like he spoke too soon.

[madfloridian]

12. Looks like it's time for that.

:hi:

[Colobo]

5. Why is it

That there are people out there who do not believe in the capacity of men and women of making their own choices about sex and reproduction?

[madfloridian]

8. And why are so many not speaking up about it?

It seems to be way down the line of importance. Even the Democratic Party is letting it slide under the heading of let them speak for their state. In some cases though, like the bill Blanco signed banning all abortions, and like the one just defeated in SD, and like in another state which has a law making it a felony.....it is my belief that the party must play a role of some kind.

It is like when do the rights of the Christian extremists take precedence over the rights of others.

[madfloridian]

9. SD House passed the bill. A bill proposed by a Democrat, a woman.

If I as a woman lived in South Dakota, I would just move...is there anywhere safe anymore? Read the rest of the page...they don't believe in women's freedom to choose anything at all.

The two women there who claim to be Democrats are doing just what I said others in our party are doing. They are catering to the right wing extremists, trying to please them rather than the Democratic base.

They are making a mistake, and it will hurt our party greatly in the long run. Once people see they don't matter, they just stay home and don't vote.

Democrats trying to act like the other side

Read the whole page, something there about another state as well.

http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=43025

"South Dakota: The House on Wednesday voted 45-25 to approve a bill (HB 1293) that would ban all abortions in the state except in cases of rape or incest or to save the life of the pregnant woman, the Rapid City Journal reports (Harlan, Rapid City Journal, 2/15). The bill would allow rape survivors to undergo abortions if they report the rape to authorities within 50 days. Physicians would be required to confirm the report with authorities, as well as to take blood from aborted fetuses and give that information to police for DNA testing. For incest survivors, a doctor would be required to obtain the woman's consent to report the crime along with the identity of the alleged perpetrator before an abortion could be performed. Blood samples from fetuses also would have to be provided to police. Abortions could be performed until the 17th week of pregnancy in cases of incest or rape. The bill carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for performing illegal abortions. The measure also would allow a pregnant woman to undergo an abortion if her health could be seriously damaged by carrying the pregnancy to term. Under the bill, a doctor from another practice must agree that the woman's health is in jeopardy before the abortion could be performed (Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 2/14). According to the Sioux Falls Argus Leader, a provision in the legislation says the measure will be placed on the 2008 ballot if it is passed by the Legislature and signed by the governor (Myers <1>, Sioux Falls Argus Leader, 2/15). The House bill now goes to the Senate (Rapid City Journal, 2/15)."

[madfloridian]

10. Alabama getting into the act as well.

"Alabama: The Department of Public Health is proposing a regulation that would require abortion providers to receive special training to perform the procedure, the Birmingham News reports. According to the proposal, physicians only would be permitted to perform abortions if they received special training from a qualified post-graduate program, performed abortions at a hospital and were approved by another doctor who met the standards but worked at a different clinic, State Health Officer Don Williamson said. The Committee on Public Health is scheduled to vote Wednesday on the proposal and on other rules that would set standards for follow-up care and equipment maintenance at clinics that offer abortions, the News reports. If the proposal passes, the next step would be to ask for public comment (Chandler, Birmingham News, 2/15)."

http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=43025

[madfloridian]

11. Bill will be heard by the Senate committee tomorrow after passing the house.

My best to the women in SD who think they should have rights. I am with you. I am so sorry that it is Democratic women pushing these bills forward.

[madfloridian]

13. Update: Did not get out of committee, but wait till you see the reason.

Not because it was opposed:

"Sen. Brock Greenfield, R-Clark, called abortion “a scourge on South Dakota,” and he called HB1293 a “noble effort.” But he also said the bill would not withstand a court challenge. “I do not believe there is any chance it will,” he said."

And it just gets weirder and weirder:

"State Attorney General Larry Long, who helped draft parts of the bill, said he was neither an opponent nor a proponent of the bill. But he did point out problems with the bill. He said, for example, that a woman who conceives a child through incest and gives birth could be prosecuted for incest under existing law, but if the same woman, under the new law, elected to have an abortion she could not be prosecuted."

Edited for link:

http://www.rapidcityjournal.com/articles/2007/02/21/news/top/news00f%20abortion%20bill.txt