South Dakota Senate votes to outlaw abortion

The state's antiabortion measure moves one step closer to law.

Published February 23, 2006 1:05AM (EST)

As Broadsheet noted earlier today, South Dakota is considering legislation to outlaw almost all abortions. Here's a disturbing update: This afternoon that measure passed the state's Senate 23-12, and now moves back to the House, which has already passed a similar bill, the Associated Press reported.

The legislation would allow abortion only to save the life of a pregnant women. It would make it a felony to perform abortions, a crime that could carry with it a sentence of up to five years. Currently, about 800 abortions a year are performed in the state of 770,000 citizens, mostly at one clinic in Sioux Falls.


By Katharine Mieszkowski

Katharine Mieszkowski is a senior writer for Salon.

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