Governor Sees 'Frontal Assault on Roe v. Wade'

Feb. 25, 2006 — -- Abortion is one of the most emotionally charged political issues in America, and now the battle over abortion is being fought on a new front -- America's heartland.

The South Dakota legislature passed a measure imposing the most restrictive limits on abortion since 1973. It's crafted to be the boldest, most direct assault on Roe v. Wade in more than a decade.

If Gov. Mike Rounds signs it, it is expected to trigger a chain of legal events that could eliminate a woman's right to choose -- and alter the nation's political landscape.

"This is an issue that is affecting real people's lives in this state and potentially around the country," said Kate Looby of Planned Parenthood.

Rounds refused to sign a similar bill two years ago because he said there were technical issues. However, if the bill is written correctly, Rounds said he intends to sign it. The governor has 15 days from Monday to either sign or veto the bill. He said he will probably not take that long.

"If the bill is correctly written than I will seriously consider signing the bill," he said. "It is a direct frontal assault on Roe v. Wade."

Even without the new law, South Dakota is one of the most difficult places to get an abortion. There are parental notification requirements for minors, counseling delays for women who opt for abortions and tight restrictions on public funding.

The Sioux Falls Clinic, operated by Planned Parenthood, is the only place in the state where women can get abortions, which are offered just one day a week because the doctors have to be flown in from Minnesota.

Lawmakers in at least seven other states, including Ohio, Indiana, Georgia and Tennessee, are considering similar legislation. The changing face of the Supreme Court is what's driving all this: Sandra Day O'Connor, a swing vote on abortion rights, has left the court, and two conservative justices, John Roberts and Samuel Alito, have joined the court.

"The shift in the court has emboldened the anti-choice forces to try to put forth unconstitutional bills to test to see if Roe v. Wade can be overturned," said Nancy Northup of the Center for Reproductive Rights.