(LifeSiteNews) — The pro-life movement gained several victories last night as radical pro-abortion constitutional amendments lost in both Nebraska and South Dakota.
These losses for the abortion agenda follow Florida’s defeat last night of a similarly radical pro-abortion amendment. These victories mitigate a series of losses for the pro-life movement, including in Ohio, Kansas, and, last night, Missouri.
South Dakota’s pro-abortion Amendment G lost by a large margin – 59.9% to 40.1% – according to the most recent data from the New York Times. South Dakota thus still prohibits essentially all abortions and is considered “most restrictive” by the pro-abortion Guttmacher Institute. This means the state protects innocent human life in the womb. Abortion is prohibited except to “preserve the life of the pregnant female.”
The amendment would have allowed for almost all abortions, permitting for regulation only after the first trimester. However, 96% of abortions occur in the first trimester, according to the state’s 2022 data.
“The amendment establishes that during the first trimester a pregnant woman’s decision to obtain an abortion may not be regulated nor may regulations be imposed on the carrying out of an abortion,” reads the attorney general’s explanation.
“In the second trimester, the amendment allows the regulation of a pregnant woman’s abortion decision, and the regulation of carrying out an abortion. Any regulation of a pregnant woman’s abortion decision, or of an abortion, during the second trimester must be reasonably related to the physical health of the pregnant woman,” the explanation stated.
The amendment would have allowed abortions in the third trimester “where the abortion is necessary to preserve the life or health of the pregnant woman,” an expansive term that can be exploited by any pro-abortion physician.
Medical experts have confirmed that direct abortion is never medically necessary to save the life of a mother.
According to the Argus Leader, Life Defense Fund, the primary organizer of the fight against the amendment, celebrated the victory.
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“We are grateful to God and to the people of the state of South Dakota! As South Dakotans learned the truth about the extreme dangers of Amendment G, they sent a message loud and clear today: We protect mothers and children,” the group stated.
“We are so thankful that South Dakotans rejected this extreme abortion measure that would’ve allowed abortion through all nine months, canceled basic health and safety protections for women, and stripped parents’ right to know if their minor daughter was being coerced into having an abortion,” the pro-life group stated. “This effort took an army of people who devoted so much time, energy, and resources to defeat this extreme effort, and for that, we are incredibly grateful.”
Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America also celebrated the victory. “Precious boys and girls will live as a result of this vote, and the state will be immensely better off as they grow to fulfill their God-given purposes,” President Marjorie Dannenfelser said via a media statement sent to LifeSiteNews.
South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem said her state will support families in a victory post on X. “South Dakotans voted for LIFE tonight,” she wrote. “Our state has the highest birth rate in the nation because our people have HOPE. And we will continue to take care of moms and their babies both before birth and after.”
South Dakotans voted for LIFE tonight! Our state has the highest birth rate in the nation because our people have HOPE. And we will continue to take care of moms and their babies both before birth and after. pic.twitter.com/VCL8Eid9RF
— Kristi Noem (@KristiNoem) November 6, 2024
Nebraska voters also rejected a pro-abortion amendment and added their 12-week abortion ban to the state constitution.
51% of voters rejected a measure to amend the state constitution to allow for abortions until “fetal viability,” which is around 20-weeks. It would have left in a vague “health” exception, meaning abortion could have been allowed through all nine months of pregnancy on spurious “health” claims.
The state currently bans abortions after 12 weeks’ gestation, although a liberal Republican senator named Merv Riepe has tried to water down that law. He wanted to add “fetal anomalies” to the exceptions list, which already includes “medical emergency,” incest, and rape. Pro-lifers, however, affirm the circumstance of one’s birth does not determine one’s value.
Voters approved an amendment to the state constitution that prohibits abortions past the first trimester, though this only protects about 10% of babies, according to Nebraska’s 2022 abortion stats.
LiveAction President Lila Rose celebrated the defeat of the pro-abortion amendment.
“Another huge pro-life WIN in Nebraska tonight – congratulations to the people of Nebraska for DEFEATING Initiative 439, which would have enshrined abortion on babies through all nine months of pregnancy into law,” she wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “Thousands of lives will be saved because of this victory!”
The Catholic bishops of Nebraska praised the defeat of the pro-abortion amendment and the passage of the pro-life one, saying, “Nebraskans have sent a clear message to the rest of our nation: Nebraska is a pro-life state that will stand up for its most vulnerable citizens.”
“We are grateful for the thousands of Nebraskans who worked tirelessly to ensure that their neighbors understood Initiative 439’s flaws. Their dedication and hard work are reflected in this victory, and we rejoice with them,” they added.
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