South Dakota legislative committee advances one of two abortion bills
PIERRE, S.D. -- A legislative committee has advanced a bill which, if passed, would require patients to sign a state-mandated “informed consent” form prior to receiving an abortion, and killed another bill which would have required patients to undergo a sonogram prior to receiving an abortion.
The Senate Health and Human Services committee on Friday, Jan. 25 unanimously voted to pass Senate Bill 72, a bill recommended by the governor’s office which would more strictly enforce the state’s already mandated informed consent process. Patients seeking abortions in South Dakota already must sign consent forms for treatment, but SB 72 would require providers to use a specific consent form written by the state Department of Health (DOH).
The completed forms would be subject to DOH inspection at any time, as is procedure now. Personal identifying information of patients is redacted prior to DOH inspection, Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota spokesperson Jen Aulwes said.
Aulwes said SB 72 would change the Sioux Falls Planned Parenthood clinic’s current consent form process “pretty significantly” due to the DOH form’s length and content.
Read more: https://www.inforum.com/news/government-and-politics/958747-South-Dakota-legislative-committee-advances-one-of-two-abortion-bills