South Dakota House Approves Longer Abortion Wait

The South Dakota House has approved a bill that could require women seeking abortions to wait longer after first seeing a doctor at an abortion clinic.

The House voted 56-13 to pass a measure that says Saturdays, Sundays and holidays could not count in calculating the three-day wait. The bill next goes to the Senate.

Supporters say the measure is needed to give pregnant women time to reflect and seek counseling to make sure they have not been pressured into getting an abortion. Opponents say it would be an undue burden on a woman's constitutional right to get an abortion.

A 2011 law requires women to wait three days and get counseling at pregnancy help centers that discourage abortions. The counseling requirement is still being challenged in court.