Abortion 3-Day Period Soon To Go Into Effect

In South Dakota, a new measure will be put into law July 1 that imposes a three day wait period and counseling for women who wish to have an abortion.

The measure was by passed by Governor Dennis Daugaard, according to MSNBC.com, and is intended to give women who want an abortion more time to make a more thought-out decision. In the three day period, women will be counseled from pregnancy help centers and is said to reduce the amount of abortions that women are coerced into by their partner or family.

People and groups supporting this measure are saying that, often times, when women get an abortion, they are  given very little information or counseling whether there are other options or programs to help.

Two organizations, Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties, however, are saying that this new law is considered unconstitutional and will be asking a judge to strike down the proposed measure.

Jan Nicolay, co-chair of the South Dakota Campaign for Healthy Families says the measure is an invasion of a woman's privacy by forcing them to meet in a clinic with people in their community. She said also that the law would violate a federal law that protects the privacy of medical records.

Supporters say that this measure is intended to reduce the amount of abortions and make women more knowledgable of the procedure. At a pregnancy center in Sioux Falls, Leslie Unruh, founder of Alpha Center, said many women say if they had counseling, they wouldn't have gone through with the abortion.

COMMENT! TAKE POLL (top right column) and Follow Me On Twitter

• Do you think this 3-day wait period and counseling law is justified in preparing women for an abortion or is it unconstitutional? 

• In 2006 and 2008, the people rejected ballot measures that would have banned most abortions. Do you think this will be overturned in court? Why or Why Not? 

• Do you think a measure like this will eventually come to California or the rest of the Country?