CV NEWS FEED // South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem officially designated 2024 as “Freedom for Life Year” in the state on January 11, sparking different reactions from pro-life and pro-abortion South Dakotans.
“[A]ll human lives are precious from the conception of an unborn child until natural death,” Noem stated in an executive proclamation. “We recognize this fact scientifically, legally, philosophically, and morally and [take] steps to educate the public accordingly.”
Noem said in the proclamation that South Dakota provides “extensive resources” to mothers, babies, and families. She added that South Dakota currently has the highest birth rate in the nation at 68.6 births per 1,000 women in 2021.
Local South Dakota station KELOLAND News reported that to increase support for families and pregnant women, Noem started a website to compile the state government’s programs for crisis pregnancy resources, adoption, and financial assistance.
Her administration is also the only one in South Dakota’s history to designate a member of staff as “the government’s unborn child advocate.”
The American Civil Liberties Union of South Dakota, which sued Noem with Planned Parenthood in 2021 over her order banning medicinal abortions, told KELOLAND News that Noem’s resources for pregnant women are insufficient.
“The support outlined in Governor Noem’s proclamation is important, but it falls short to meet the needs of all pregnancies and children in South Dakota,” the ACLU-South Dakota said. “In a state with one of the most restrictive abortion laws in the nation, women face substantially greater challenges to access the obstetric and gynecological care they need.”
Conversely, Executive Director of South Dakota Right to Life Dale Bartscher told KELOLAND News that Noem’s proclamation was greatly appreciated by the organization.
“We’re so grateful and gratified that we have a governor that understands the sanctity of human life from conception to natural death,” he said. “We applaud the governor and the governor’s office for highlighting this as a very important aspect of our culture of life here in the great state of South Dakota.”
Abortion is currently illegal in South Dakota under almost all circumstances. However, a pro-abortion group is gathering signatures for a proposed amendment that would allow women to abort their children before the end of the first trimester.
A poll conducted in December 2023 found that roughly 45.6% of 500 registered voters supported the amendment, while approximately 43.6% opposed it. Whether Noem’s “Year of Life” proclamation will affect the amendment remains to be seen.
