EC bill fails in South Dakota

A South Dakota bill, which would have required hospitals to tell rape victims about the availability of emergency contraception—that’s right, just tell women about it, not dispense it—failed last week.

Supporters of the bill tried unsuccessfully in the House Health and Human Services Committee to remove a "conscience clause" from the measure. That would let any health care provider or facility opt out of giving the information.

…The amendment to remove the conscience clause failed on a 6-7 vote, and another amendment that would let just doctors or other health care workers opt out also failed.

Rep. Mark Kirkeby, R-Rapid City, said, "In all honesty, with [the conscience clause] being in place in this bill, there's no sense in even having this bill.”

I’d say so.