This week the federal government moved ahead with regulations that will require everyone in the soon-to-be-established state exchanges who are in an insurance plan that includes elective abortion coverage to pay a separate monthly premium from their own pockets to fund abortion. However, at the same time, South Dakota became the thirteenth state to stand up and say no.
Governor Dennis Daugaard has signed into law HB 1185, a bill sponsored by state representative Jon Hansen and drafted from an AUL model bill on the subject. So far Arizona, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, and Virginia have all opted-out of having abortion covered in their federally-mandated insurance plans.
And South Dakota won’t be the last. At least seven other states have bills pending on this question right now while other states are looking to include such a provision as an amendment to the bill that establishes the state exchanges.
This is yet another proof that Americans are not interested in subsidizing abortion with their own money.