South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem's abortion ban proposal stifled by Republican lawmakers

A Republican-controlled South Dakota House committee declined Wednesday to consider a proposal from Governor Kristi Noem aimed at banning nearly all abortions, stifling a top item on the governor's agenda. The Republican governor loudly trumpeted her proposal this year, which would have mimicked the private enforcement of a Texas law and prohibited abortions once medical professionals can detect fetal cardiac activity.

But it quickly met resistance when groups opposed to abortion access raised issues over her bill draft and Republican lawmakers on the House State Affairs committee declined to give it a hearing — a move rarely seen in the Legislature that signaled defiance of the governor.

"They showed up late to the game last minute, even last hour type stuff and it didn't pass," said House Speaker Spencer Gosch, a Republican. "Simple as that."