South Dakota officials validated a suggested revision on Thursday that desires to ensure abortion access in the state's constitution, permitting it to emerge on the November ballot.
South Dakota Officials Approve Amendment to Protect Abortion Access
South Dakota Secretary of State Monae Johnson, a Republican, declared that her office accepted the appeal for the measure, verifying that organizers submitted more than the required number of signatures.
Designated as "Constitutional Amendment G," the measure will build a right to abortion in the South Dakota Constitution. Johnson noted that the revision arrangement on the ballot can still be difficult until June 17.
This confirmation positions South Dakota as the fourth state to include a proposed constitutional amendment on abortion rights on the November ballot, joining Florida, Maryland, and New York. Attempts are also underway in seven other states.
Despite achievements in traditional states like Kansas and Kentucky, South Dakota presents a vigorous difficulty for abortion rights supporters. The measure needs a simple majority to pass in a state that Donald Trump won by 26 points in 2020.
The group Dakotans For Health, behind the proposed amendment, celebrated the confirmation. Chair Rick Weiland declared, "Today, the South Dakota Secretary of State certified that the people of South Dakota, not the politicians, will decide on restoring Roe v. Wade as the law of South Dakota."
The proposal seeks to permit abortion in the first trimester, permitting state control in the second trimester if related to the female's physical health, and allowing decree or restriction in the third trimester, except when needed to protect the female's life or health.
If approved, the revision would invalidate the law, considered one of the most stringent in the U.S., which only permits abortions to save the woman's life.
Despite facing compelling opposition and legal difficulties, organizers submitted over 55,000 signatures, far surpassing the 35,000 required. State officials verified that 85% of these signatures were authentic, giving organizers a surplus of 11,000 signatures.
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Voters Approved Measures to Safeguard Abortion Access
Abortion rights will also be decided on in Florida and Maryland, with supporters in states like Arizona, Montana, and Nebraska striving for related measures following the U.S. Supreme Court's 2022 reversal of Roe v. Wade. Voters in seven other states have already approved measures to safeguard abortion access, including four states that have preserved abortion rights in their constitutions.
South Dakota recently banned all abortions except to protect the mother's life. Despite solid a place on the ballot, abortion rights supporters in South Dakota face important difficulties in the upcoming November vote.
Republican lawmakers greatly obstruct the measure, and an outstanding abortion rights group has conveyed its inadequacy of support.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of South Dakota warned that the proposed amendment's language might not build the major legal standard for courts to assess abortion laws, possibly contributing to it being only symbolic.
The Life Defense Fund, an organization obstructing the initiative, declared they would continue to examine the submitted signatures. Opponents have until June 17 to file a challenge with the secretary of state's office.
"We are grateful to the many dedicated volunteers who have put in countless hours, and we are resolute in our mission to defend unborn babies," said co-chairs Leslee Unruh and state Rep. Jon Hansen in a statement.
