Signatures Filed in South Dakota

NEW YORK, NY — Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) applauds the South Dakota Campaign for Healthy Families for collecting more than twice the number of petition signatures required to refer the state abortion ban to the November ballot.

 Today the South Dakota Campaign for Healthy Families filed the petition signatures that will allow the voters of South Dakota to vote to repeal the state's law criminalizing abortion on November 7, 2006.

"Today the voters of South Dakota stood up for women's health. This filing sends the message that elected officials must stop playing politics with women's health and safety," said PPFA President Cecile Richards. "On behalf of the women who rely on us for their health care, Planned Parenthood applauds the South Dakota Campaign for Healthy Families and the voters of South Dakota for their efforts to protect women's health."

Sarah Stoesz, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, noted, "It is a proud day for the people of South Dakota and those of us who have served them for so long. The message we send to the rest of the nation is clear. In South Dakota, we honor women's constitutional right to reproductive freedom, and in November we will defeat this cruel and extremist ban on abortion."

Across the country, extreme politicians are attempting to put roadblocks between women and reproductive health care. Following South Dakota's abortion ban, 11 other states introduced legislation this year aimed at criminalizing abortion. To stem the tide of legislation attacking women and families across the country, Planned Parenthood Federation of America has launched the Stand with the States Campaign. The campaign works to give families access to the health care and medically accurate sex education they need to prevent unintended pregnancy. One of the national campaign's first steps has been to support the South Dakota Campaign for Healthy Families in its fight to defeat the South Dakota abortion ban.