FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Press Office
Dakotans for Health
605-610-8146
Grassroots Coalition of Concerned Citizens Seeks to End State's Dangerous Abortion Ban and Restore Roe v Wade
April 30, 2024
Sioux Falls, SD...Today, in a significant move to re-establish reproductive rights in South Dakota, a coalition of concerned citizens, led by Dakotans for Health co-founder Rick Weiland, filed petitions containing over 55,000 signatures requesting the inclusion of a Freedom Amendment on the November ballot. This proposed constitutional amendment will restore the right to choose abortion, particularly in cases of rape, incest, and dangerous problem pregnancies.
Addressing a gathering in Sioux Falls, Weiland emphasized the fundamental injustice of current South Dakota laws that compel victims of rape to undergo unwanted pregnancies. "We pay to advertise to the nation that ’freedom works here.' Freedom is not working here when government forces a woman who has been raped to give birth. The Freedom Amendment will restore women’s personal freedom and overturn South Dakota’s blanket abortion ban by writing into our constitution the protections contained in the Supreme Court’s 1973 Roe v Wade decision,” he said.
“It just is not right,” Weiland added, “that a woman who has been raped is required by South Dakota law to give birth. By reverting to the core principles of Roe v Wade women who have suffered rape, incest, or who face a dangerous problem pregnancy will regain the freedom to choose, or not to choose, abortion,” he said.
“The Freedom Amendment is about empowering individuals to make deeply personal decisions about their own bodies and futures,” Weiland continued. "Every woman deserves the freedom to choose whether to terminate or continue a pregnancy. This amendment restores those Roe v Wade rights, nothing more, nothing less,” he asserted.
Weiland celebrated the overwhelming support garnered by the petition, symbolized by the 55,000 signatures collected by nearly 500 South Dakotans demanding a referendum on the Freedom Amendment. "Today, we proudly present this petition to the Secretary of State, affirming our commitment to letting the voters, not the politicians, determine the course of reproductive rights in our state," declared Weiland.
We welcome all press and media representatives to join this important discussion and cover the announcement. Please confirm your attendance by contacting the Dakotans for Health Press Office at press@dakotans4health.com. The event will be live streamed on Facebook.
About Dakotans for Health:
Dakotans for Health is an advocacy group committed to promoting public health policies and initiatives that empower South Dakota residents. By championing the Freedom Amendment, Dakotans for Health seeks to ensure that every individual has the right to make personal decisions about their own bodies and futures.
About Rick Weiland:
Rick Weiland has been instrumental in spearheading efforts to advance the Freedom Amendment and champion initiatives aimed at empowering citizens to shape critical policies through democratic processes.
Attachment (4)
####
Make a Donation to Restore Abortion Rights in South Dakota
Note: if you have saved your contribution information with ActBlue Express your donation will go through immediately.
P.S. You can always make a direct contribution to support the campaign too. We prefer ActBlue if you can. You can also send us a check to Dakotans for Health, PO Box 2063, Sioux Falls, SD 57101.
Commentaires