South Dakota's Rep. Erin Healy meets with VP Kamala Harris to discuss abortion restrictions

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South Dakota's Rep. Erin Healy (D-Sioux Falls) met with Vice President Kamala Harris and other Democratic lawmakers from across the United States on Friday to discuss reproductive rights in the wake of the overturn of Roe v. Wade.

Healy, also the state's House of Representatives Minority Whip, was the only one of five state legislators who attended the event, including others from Indiana, Florida, Nebraska and Montana – all states that either have or will restrict abortion access for pregnant people.

"How close to death does someone have to be before a doctor intervenes?" Healy questioned during her opening remarks to the group, which touched on South Dakota's trigger law.

That law, which went into effect immediately following the Supreme Court of the United State's ruling in June, states a doctor who preforms an abortion could be charged with a class six felony. The law has no exception for abortions performed after rape or incest.

More: Will Sioux Falls doctors be charged for performing abortions? Here's what we know.

Harris, who also spoke during the live streamed opening remarks of the meeting, touched on about the impending healthcare crisis before the group went behind closed doors to continue the discussion.

"Women should be able to make decisions about their body," the vice president said.

Healy also spoke about possible restrictions South Dakotans could face if they traveled out of state to get an abortion.

"South Dakotans should have the freedom to travel anywhere they want in this country, no questions asked," she said. "Enforcing some kind of state border laws about who gets to leave and who doesn't paints a very grim future for America."

Healy also mentioned Gov. Noem's plan for a special session tightening the state's already strict trigger law. Noem called for the special legislative session after the high court's ruling. However, as of Friday, no date for such a session has been set as of yet.

More: Analysis: Is Gov. Kristi Noem stepping back from vow to hold special session on abortion?

President Joe Biden also announced an executive order Friday protecting and expanding access to abortion care, including how people access medicated abortion pills, as well as family planning services through the Department of Health and Human Services. However, it is unclear how that order will be enacted in states like South Dakota, which has already barred access to medicated abortion.

Follow Annie Todd on Twitter @AnnieTodd96. Reach out to her with tips, questions and other community news at atodd@argusleader.com or give her a call at 605-215-3757.

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: South Dakota lawmaker meets with Kamala Harris about abortion access