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South Dakota Governor Larry Rhoden and Attorney General Marty Jackley announced the state will continue defending its law restricting abortion pill advertising after a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction against it. The law, House Bill 1274, prohibits advertising abortion pills in South Dakota, including from out-of-state providers, and the injunction temporarily blocks enforcement while the lawsuit proceeds.

South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley joined 21 other states in challenging the federal rule allowing telehealth prescriptions of the abortion pill mifepristone, citing safety concerns and state jurisdiction issues. Despite a temporary Supreme Court stay maintaining telehealth access, South Dakota has passed laws regulating abortion pill use, which Jackley expects to enforce alongside federal criminal laws if pills are mailed into the state.

South Dakota lawmakers are addressing multiple bills on the 30th legislative day, including measures on abortion definitions, voting rights requiring proof of citizenship, and education policies such as restricting student cell phone use. Committees and both chambers in Pierre are also considering bills related to data center regulation, social media data requests, and nicotine product sales.

The South Dakota House Committee of Health & Human Services voted 9-4 to defer House Bill 1212, which would have criminalized abortion and held women criminally liable, effectively killing the bill. State Representative Tony Randolph cited a 17% increase in abortions despite existing pro-life laws, while opponents, including the South Dakota Catholic Conference Executive Director, raised concerns about the bill's practical consequences.

South Dakota lawmakers Rep. Tony Randolph and Sen. John Carley have introduced House Bill 1212 to criminalize abortion statewide by applying existing homicide and wrongful death laws to unborn children. The bill aims to remove current legal exemptions for abortion and extend criminal penalties, with supporters calling it the first of its kind in South Dakota, while opponents warn it could harm marginalized communities and complicate medical care in pregnancy emergencies.