South Dakota Implements 72-Hour Waiting Period Abortion Law

The South Dakota state government has signed and approved a law which will require women to wait 72 hours before having an abortion. Activist groups in the surrounding area have reportedly said they will file a lawsuit against the bill, questioning its constitutionality. Along with the waiting period, the law requires women to consult with a counselor at a pregnancy help center before having the procedure.  Douglas Stanglin, USA Today  03/22/2011

Read Article: USA Today    

MASHEL'S VIEW:  Without getting into a discussion over abortion rights, it appears that South Dakota believes that a "waiting period" akin to purchasing a firearm is warranted when it comes to abortions.  However, while the waiting period for purchasing a firearm is done so as to provide law enforcement with time sufficient to perform criminal background checks on the purchaser, no similar "rationale basis" exists for making women wait to have a legal medical procedure performed?  The state should not attempt to provide a "cooling off" period for one's conscience. This law is overreaching exercise of government power and unduly infringes the rights of women.  Hence, I predict the law will be struck down as unconstitutional due to it violating the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.