
Proposed legislation to expand a pregnant woman's abortion waiting period will head to the South Dakota house floor.
House Bill 1237 -with an amendment to clarify holidays- passed the House Judiciary Committee Friday. The proposed bill would require an expectant woman to wait 72-hours (excluding weekends and holidays) before she can undergo an abortion.
The 72-hour period would be a minimum waiting period not a maximum. Proponents say the required counseling pregnant women are mandated to undergo isn't available on weekends or holidays because those consultation centers are closed.
Opponents say those centers should be open on holidays and weekends. They also say House Bill 1237 forces a woman to change her mind about having an abortion, which is already hard to obtain in South Dakota.
Meanwhile, lawmakers tabled House Bill 1236. That bill would protect doctors from lawsuits filed by parents who would have had an abortion if their test results showed an abnormality.