Washington Post Examines Effect On November Election Of South Dakota Abortion Ban

The Washington Post on Monday examined the effect of a South Dakota law (HB 1215) that bans abortion except to save a woman's life on the November election (Slevin, Washington Post, 8/28). The ban, which has not yet taken effect, will be on the statewide ballot in November. If approved, the law would take effect and then likely would be challenged in court (Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 8/2). As a result of the law, the state is the "unlikely home of this year's most intense duel over abortion," and "[p]artisans across the nation are delivering money and tactical advice" to people on both sides of the debate, according to the Post. In addition, "South Dakota's fight could be a harbinger of political battles" nationwide if the Supreme Court votes to overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 case that effectively barred state abortion bans, the Post reports (Washington Post, 8/28).

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