Monday, February 11, 2008

The death of HB 1155

The South Dakota body of Representatives voted against "striking the not" [from the committee's recommendation of DO NOT PASS] today on HB 1155, in a vote of 36-31. The smoke out failed.

And so, yet one more year will pass until the bill can be brought up again: this being the 15th year brought to legislation to no avail. Likewise, another year will pass for homebirthing families who do not have legal access to a midwife-assisted homebirth.

Yes, friends: the medical lobby has a choke-hold on the state of South Dakota.

I'm sad.

[There is one more bill, SB 34 (the "CNM bill") that may go through (and I hope it does): this would allow Certified Nurse Midwives to attend homebirths. But with 1% of CNMs attending homebirths nationwide, this seems like a paltry accomplishment indeed.]

2/27 UPDATE:
The CNM did go through!
South Dakota is taking a step in the right direction.

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