Editorial: 72-hour wait on abortion seems to be reasonable

Talk about it

Gov. Dennis Daugaard has before him a decision that could be one of the first major challenges, beyond the budget deficit, in his short time in office.

The governor, who opposes abortion rights, is considering giving final approval of a bill that would create a longer waiting period for women who wish to get an abortion in South Dakota. The new waiting time would require women to wait 72 hours before they could undergo the procedure, which would be the longest required wait in the country.

During those three days, the woman would be required to submit to counseling. We acknowledge that the process may be intrusive to a woman’s private life, but it also creates a cooling-off period during which sound decisions may be made.

Some feel it will lead to a costly lawsuit. Daugaard said he fully understands that possibility.

Either way, leave it to the South Dakota Legislature to once again broach the subject of abortion, which has been discussed through various bills time and again in recent years. It’s also a subject that has come before South Dakota voters, who have failed to give approval to proposed laws that would ban or limit abortions.

While we do openly question so many attempts to ban abortion — we feel that’s an issue to be determined at the federal, not state, level — we do also acknowledge that abortion is a big issue in South Dakota.

In 2004, the Legislature voted to ban abortions, but the measure was vetoed by then Gov. Mike Rounds.

In 2006, South Dakota voters rejected a measure that would have banned nearly all abortions in the state. That year, 56 percent of South Dakotans disagreed with the proposal, perhaps because it did not include exceptions for rape, incest and the health of the mother.

In 2008, 55 percent of voters again rejected a proposal that would have banned most abortions and perhaps set up a challenge to the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark Roe v. Wade decision, which made abortions legal.

Eight times since 1997, the Legislature has passed laws that include some sort of abortion language.

It’s obvious the issue of abortion is contentious in South Dakota, and one that stokes great emotions and passion.

Considering that, we don’t think it would be wrong for Daugaard to give his approval to House Bill 1217. It’s apparent there are many residents in South Dakota who feel strongly that abortion is morally wrong. As their voices have been quieted by the democratic process in recent elections, HB 1217 may be an appropriate concession to those many South Dakotans who want to see abortion abolished.

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