WASHINGTON - February 23 - Today, NARAL Pro-Choice America, the nation's leading advocate for personal privacy and a woman's right to choose, called the passage by both houses of South Dakota's legislature of a criminal ban on abortion throughout pregnancy a monumental setback for women.

"The actions of the South Dakota legislature are a chilling reminder of the lengths to which anti-choice lawmakers will go to interfere in our most difficult and personal decisions," said Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America. "This bill contains an inadequate exception to protect a woman's life and no other exceptions -- not for rape, not for incest, not even to protect the woman's health. Clearly emboldened by President Bush's judicial appointments, South Dakota has passed dangerous and unconstitutional legislation that its supporters admit is a direct attack on Roe v. Wade. Rather than continuing these unconstitutional assaults that threaten to endanger women's lives and imprison doctors, these legislators should commit to enacting commonsense legislation to prevent unintended pregnancy."

With today's vote, the total abortion ban (HB 1215) has passed both houses of the South Dakota legislature and now goes to anti- choice Gov. Mike Rounds, possibly as early as this week. Gov. Rounds, who has not indicated whether he will sign the bill, has said that, "(a)bortion ... should always be illegal."

Keenan continued, "South Dakotans who cherish the fundamental American values of freedom and personal responsibility must call on Gov. Rounds to veto this egregious legislation. We should work to reduce the need for abortion, not continue to battle about Roe v. Wade."

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