Governor Kristi Noem says she’s directing lawyers in her office to review the state’s abortion laws.
The statement comes as the US Supreme Court upholds Texas’ abortion law, for now. That law bans abortion after 6 weeks gestation.
“I have directed the Unborn Child Advocate in my office to immediately review the new TX law and current South Dakota laws to make sure we have the strongest pro-life laws on the books in SD,” Noem said in a tweet.
It’s a sign the Republican governor will push for the anti-abortion legislation this coming session.
Janna Farley is a spokesperson for the ACLU of South Dakota. She says the decision to get an abortion is one that’s still protected under the U.S. constitution.
“The ACLU of South Dakota will continue to work to ensure that every woman can make the best decision for herself and her family about whether and when to start a family without undue political interference.”
There’s only one clinic in South Dakota that provides abortions. South Dakota still has one of the more restrictive abortion policies in the country.
Governor Noem campaigned on the promise to sign the bill that overturns Roe V. Wade, a supreme court decision that protects abortion access.
According to the state, there were 125 abortions performed in 2020. About 13 percent of those abortions occurred at six weeks or less.