A South Dakota House committee has advanced a bill aimed at clarifying what medical treatments are allowed under the state’s near-total abortion ban. The state’s trigger law, in effect since 2022, bans abortion except when necessary to save the life of the pregnant woman. But lawmakers and medical groups have debated how that exception should be interpreted.
On Monday, the committee voted 10–2 to move forward a bill that spells out which pregnancy-related treatments are not considered abortions. Those include care for miscarriages, treatment of ectopic pregnancies, removal of a deceased fetus, and medical procedures that unintentionally end a pregnancy. Supporters — including the Governor’s Office, South Dakota Right to Life, and the Catholic Conference — say the bill addresses misinformation and provides clarity for doctors.
Opponents, including the state medical association and the ACLU, warn the bill could create new confusion by defining what is not an abortion while leaving other procedures in question.
The measure now heads to the full House. A separate bill restricting abortion‑related medications is also moving through the Legislature.
