South Dakota ranks as one of the toughest states nationally when it comes to abortion laws and could become stricter.
Earlier this year, the South Dakota House proposed an amendment to the criminal code that would equate abortion with child abuse. If passed, doctors who perform the procedure and the women who have them could be charged with a class 3 felony,
according to Planned Parenthood.
The proposal, which would effectively ban abortion in all cases, adds 15 words to the child abuse statute: "For purposes of this section, a child conceived, but not born, is deemed a minor,"
according to the Madville Times.
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In 2014, South Dakota enacted a law banning abortion for sex-selection reasons, and could make doctors criminally liable for knowing why a woman chose to end a pregnancy,
according to a state news release.
That same year, lawmakers took steps to further a law that could forbid a woman from having an
abortion after seven weeks of pregnancy, according to Think Progress.org.
The Mount Rushmore State strongly supports a pro-life agenda. North and South Dakota received
F grades from NARAL Pro-Choice America, an organization which ranks states based on abortion laws that favor a pro-choice stance in a number of criteria. One big difference between those states is that North Dakota allows a provision for abortion in cases of rape and incest.
California, New Jersey, and Maryland earned top marks from pro-choice advocates for their abortion regulations with few major restrictions. California received an A+ rating from NARAL Pro-Choice America, while Maryland and Vermont received A grades.
South Dakota requires women seeking an abortion to complete a state-directed counseling program that is
described by the Guttmacher Institute as encouraging women to take their pregnancy to term. Women must then wait 72 hours before undergoing the procedure.
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South Dakota had enacted laws in 2006 and 2008 that banned abortions except when a woman's life was in danger, but voters overturned the legislation both times.
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