Now that the 2011 South Dakota Legislative Session is fully underway, there is a flurry of activity. We have an urgent request because recent developments in the legislative session need your immediate attention!
Currently we are tracking a number of dangerous bills with enormous implications for families in South Dakota.
HB1218 would ban all forms of surrogacy in South Dakota and turn doctors who perform insemination or embryo transfer into felons. Under this bill, no one, regardless of circumstance, would be able to help a family conceive a child via surrogacy.
HB1218 is scheduled for its first hearing on Monday in the House Judiciary Committee. Please contact your legislators today and have them urge the committee members to stop this bill.
HB1217 will have its first hearing in the South Dakota Legislature on Monday. As you might recall, HB 1217 creates a government mandate forcing women to subject themselves to “counseling” and interrogation at a Crisis Pregnancy Center before they would be able to obtain an abortion in South Dakota. CPCs are not doctors’ offices; they are unregulated organizations staffed by volunteers, without medical training. This is yet another attempt to undo what the people of South Dakota have repeatedly done: reject over-reaching government intrusion into personal and private medical decisions that are best left up to a woman, her family and doctor.
HB1217 is scheduled for its first hearing on Monday in the House Judiciary Committee.Please take a moment to contact your legislators today and have them urge the committee members to stop this bill.
On Wednesday, HB1171 was amended in such an extremely broad fashion that, if it becomes law, it would be considered justifiable homicide to kill anyone attempting to harm the unborn. It is a slippery legal slope that, if unchallenged, would have broad implications should a misguided extremist invoke this “self-defense” statute to justify the murder of a doctor, nurse or volunteer.
This bill has already passed out of committee and will be voted on the House floor soon. Contact your legislator today and tell them to vote against HB1171!
It is extremely important that you contact your legislators today. As we learned last weekend, even the bill sponsors don’t always read the bill to know what they are proposing. At last weekend’s legislative forum 1217 co-sponsor Rep. Manny Steele said, “…I haven’t had a chance to read this bill.” He went on to say, “…I’m not sure what 1217 says, but chances are, I’m gonna vote for it.”
Please also remember to attend your legislative meetings this weekend. Speaking directly with your legislator is a great way to impress upon them the urgency in defeating these bills. You can see the schedule of legislative meetings here.