FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JULY 21, 2022
Rep. Dusty Johnson Votes Against Protecting South Dakotans’ Access to Contraceptives
Rep. Johnson voted against a bill to ensure South Dakotans are able to access contraceptives after a conservative Supreme Court justice indicated that right could be at risk
Today, Representative Dusty Johnson voted against a bill that would protect South Dakotans’ ability to access contraceptives and contraception, and protect health care providers’ ability to provide them.
“A recent opinion by a conservative Supreme Court justice made it clear: Now that the Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade, South Dakotans’ right to access contraceptives could be next. With his vote today, Dusty Johnson showed that he would allow states to threaten access to contraceptives and family planning options for South Dakotans. After the vast majority of House Republicans already voted in the past two weeks against legislation to protect the right to an abortion, protect women traveling to another state to seek reproductive health care, and protect same-sex and interracial marriage, it’s clear that Democrats are the only party interested in securing South Dakotans freedoms,” said SDDP Chair Randy Seiler
Today’s vote follows the Supreme Court’s decision to ignore 50 years of precedent to overturn Roe v. Wade and allow states to outlaw abortion, and potentially target other rights, such as the right to same sex-marriage and the right to contraception. The vote also comes days after 157 House Republicans voted against legislation to protect marriage equality, and just a week after nearly all House Republicans voted against bills to protect Americans’ right to make their own health care decisions and to prevent states from punishing women who cross state lines to seek access to health care.
###