South Dakota makes it harder for women to get abortion meds

By STEPHEN GROVES
Associated Press

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — South Dakota lawmakers have approved Gov. Kristi Noem’s new rule for medical abortions that make the state one of the hardest places in the U.S. to get abortion pills. The rule approved Thursday requires women to return to a doctor to receive the second of two drugs used to carry out a medication abortion. Usually women receive both drugs in one visit, but take the second medication at home. Doctors and abortion rights advocates decried the rule as a dangerous intrusion on the relationship between doctors and patients. The Republican governor initiated the rules change in September through an executive order. A legislative committee tasked with reviewing the order approved it after initially pausing the rule’s approval last month.