South Dakota Denies Constitutional Amendment on Reproductive Rights

By Lee Strubinger, South Dakota Public Broadcasting

On February 22, 2024, the South Dakota Senate convened for a regular session at the state's Capitol in Pierre.

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SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — According to the Associated Press, South Dakota's electorate has voted against the proposal to incorporate abortion rights into the state constitution.

Opponents of abortion labeled the suggested amendment as excessively radical.

The proposed constitutional change sought to permit abortion during the initial trimester, granting the state authority to impose regulations and restrictions on the procedure thereafter.

As a result, one of the nation's most stringent abortion prohibitions stands, permitting terminations solely to protect the woman's life. There are no allowances for the mother's health or pregnancies stemming from rape or incest.

Introduced in 2005 as a 'trigger law,' attempts to clarify the legislation have been unsuccessful, leaving some healthcare practitioners expressing concerns over its ambiguity.

The proposed abortion rights amendment received backing from local chapters of the ACLU and Planned Parenthood.

In the campaign's final stretch, financial support surged due to an influx from a political action committee linked to Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, energizing efforts just days before the vote.

This week, voters in both South Dakota and Florida rejected constitutional initiatives aimed at safeguarding abortion rights. In contrast, citizens in Missouri, Colorado, New York, and Maryland took measures to enshrine these rights.