Protecting Life
I’ve fought to protect the lives of the unborn for decades. Whether as a private citizen or as a state representative, I’ve been constant in my fight to protect the unborn.
All life is sacred. This will always be one of my core values.
As your legislator, I have provided leadership in the fight to support Life. I am the immediate past President of South Dakota Right to Life and I have a 100% pro-life voting record.
Future Challanges & Solutions
Pro-abortion advocates are attempting to put an amendment on the ballot to legalize abortion through all nine months including delivery. Expanding abortion is not how South Dakota should address crisis pregnancies. Instead, I believe we must do more to support pregnant and parenting women.
Imagine if every woman in a crisis pregnancy could know that she would be loved and cared for and given resources they need ?
Pregnancy-care centers like Alpha Center in Sioux Falls or the new Haven Center in Watertown do this kind of work. But a scared pregnant woman has to know where to find them. We need to make it so much easier.
I have delivered on my promise to protect life.
- Prime sponsor of the bill to require doctors treat a baby born alive after a botched abortion the same as a wanted baby (HB1051, 2021).
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Prime sponsor of Simon's Law to require parental notification before a hospital may order a Do-Not-Resuscitate order for a child (HB1055, 2019).
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Championed legislation to establish criminal penalties for coercing or forcing a woman to have an abortion against her will (HB1193, 2023).
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Advocated for legislation to prohibit the sale of fetal body parts from abortions (SB24, 2016).
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Championed legislation to prohibit the abortion of any child who is capable of expereincing pain. The bill recognized that unborn children are human beings who deserve protection from pain (SB 72, 2016).
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Supported legislaton to require that women be provided informed consent that it might be possible to reverse the effects of abortion-causing drugs in the event a woman changes her mind (HB1130, 2021).
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Supported legislation requiring both parents of a child born out of wedlock pay for medical expenses (SB75, 2023).
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Supported legislation to prohibit abortion due to Down syndrome (HB1110, 2021).
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Led the fight to successfully prevent a west coast organization from introducing assisted-suicide in South Dakota (2016).
- Advocated for the Resolution calling on the US Supreme Court to protect the intrinsic, natural, fundamental rights of the children of our State and nation by reconsidering and overturning the court's decision in Roe (HCR 1004, 2019) - which they did in 2023!!
