House Bill 1217 has passed through the senate and now sits on Governor Daugaard's desk. If he signs, the bill would require women to undergo counseling services at a state pregnancy help center. The bill also requires a 72-hour waiting period after the first consultation.
"Women have come to us and told the abortion clinics over and over that they want help and now they will be able to get that help finally," Alpha Center president Leslee Unruh said. She said she's pleased.
"We are thrilled because there has been coercion to woman and it stops now and it's time for it to stop," Unruh said.
State Senator Al Novstrup agrees.
"She has the right to get education, information and then would be required to have 72-hours to think about that decision," Al Novstrup said.
Still, however, many are not happy with the bill. Like Elaine Roberts, co-chair for South Dakota Campaign for Healthy Families. She says this bill only adds more stress to the woman and her family.
"The bill is not carefully crafted and it really puts the state in the middle of a woman and a family and their decisions," Roberts said.
Roberts and her team will be urging the governor to veto the bill.
"This would add another layer and force women to go to an agency that isn't licensed counselors. It's just one more piece that women who are already making a difficult decision, one more piece they have to go through," Roberts said.
One concern Senator Angie Buhl has involves the HIPPA law. This law deals with requiring medical information to remain private between patient and doctor.
"This bill forces people to go from a HIPPA to non-HIPPA environment. The information is private and knowing exactly what's going to happen to that," Angie Buhl said.
She says a law like this raises even more issues.
"It creates a scenario where, instead of choosing someone I can go to talk to, I have to go to these unregulated agencies to have these conversations that often don't give accurate medical information," Buhl said.
