SD Abortion Rights: Fight over Amendment G continues

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – The battle between Life Defense Fund and Dakotans for health continues to play out in the South Dakota court system. Life defense fund alleged that state laws were violated as petition circulators collected signatures for Amendment G

Now, another group of lawyers is entering the conversation.

Lawyers for Freedom Amendment G is a new group being chaired by Renae Christensen and Stephanie Pochop, hoping to advocate for abortion rights in their communities.

“It’s a freedom amendment. Make no mistake about it. This is a slippery slope. If the government is intending on legislating what we can do with our own personal bodies, that is going to give them access to our personal lives in an unbelieve way,” Renee Christensen said, with Christensen Law Office.

“I hope that lawyers still carry enough water and trust among members of the public that we can go and say this is what Amendment G does. Amendment G restores the Roe V. Wade rights that have existed for the last 50 years. It’s not new. It’s not extreme. It’s not wild,” Pochop said, an attorney with Johnson Pochop & Bartling.

Caroline Woods, a spokesperson for the Life Defense Fund, says the case against Dakotans for Health and Amendment G, points to bait and switch tactics, a lack of circulator handouts for those signing the petition, and people signing the same petition multiple times.

The added that they have evidence to back these claims.

“We believe this amendment should not be on the ballot because they cheated their way and they lied their way to get there. The public has no business voting on something like that when they had no business lying and cheating to get there in the first place,” Woods said.

“South Dakota Voters have had this particular issue on the ballot and have expressed a pretty strong opinion about wanting to make sure that women and girls can exercise the right to abortion. I feel like a lot of times our legislators just don’t want to listen to what our voters have to say,” Pochop said.

If the court’s decision isn’t made by November 5 and the measure is voted on and passed, the Life Defense Fund believes Amendment G can still be prevented.

“If we don’t get a decision until after that time the Secretary of State can actually instruct auditors to disregard the votes altogether and not include it in the South Dakota constitution,” Woods said.

“The suggestion that a legal relief would be for the secretary of state to issue a proclamation that votes don’t count is novel at best. I don’t think you’ll find any place in the law where that’s justified,” Nancy Turbak said, the chair of the Freedom Coalition.

All ballot questions must be certified by the Secretary of State by August 15, making it likely that Amendment G will appear on the November Ballot, but its overall future remains unknown.

You can read the Amendment in its entirety HERE.

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