South Dakota is the most recent state to propose legislation to protect the lives of preborn babies. On Friday, January 21, 2022, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem announced the language of two new pro-life bills. One proposed measure would ban abortions once a heartbeat is detected in the womb. The second measure would ban telemedicine abortions. The proposed legislation was announced as pro-life advocates took to the streets in Washington, D.C., at the March for Life.

In a press release concerning the proposed legislative measures, the governor said, “Every human life is unique and beautiful from the moment it is conceived. Every life is worthy of our protection, worthy of the right to live. We hope that this year’s March for Life will be the last and that the Supreme Court will finally protect every unborn life. But until that comes to pass, these bills will ensure that both unborn children and their mothers are protected in South Dakota.”

The first draft bill, the heartbeat legislation, would ban abortion once a child’s heartbeat is detected in the womb, which happens around the 5th week of pregnancy. This measure creates a legal definition of pregnancy as beginning at fertilization. It also mirrors the Texas heartbeat law as it creates a private cause of action for individuals to sue abortion providers. Like the Texas bill, individuals who successfully sue abortion providers would be entitled to a $10,000 reward from the provider.

Senator James Lankford has introduced a resolution advocating for school choice along with several other senators, just in time for National School Choice Week.

The resolution recognizes “the necessity of school choice as a tool to empower all parents with the freedom to choose the best educational environment for their children and to combat destructive ideologies like Critical Race Theory promoted by many public schools.”

“The idea that any race, ethnicity, color, or national origin is inherently superior or inferior should not be forced into any required curriculum,” the resolution states.

“Parents should have the ability to choose a school for their child based on their child’s individual needs, academic goals, and personal and religious beliefs.”

It also acknowledges the concerns that many parents have about the negative impacts of remote learning and mask mandates, as well as COVID-19 vaccine mandates.

For example, Los Angeles Unified School District, with over 600,000 students, is the 2nd largest school district and is in the process of implementing a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for all schoolchildren age 12 and older.