South Dakota to decide on abortion rights in fall as ballot initiative advances

Advocates gathered enough signatures for voters to decide on whether the state can regulate procedure before second trimester

South Dakota voters will decide on abortion rights this fall, getting a chance at direct democracy on the contentious issue in a conservative state where a trigger law banning nearly all abortions went into effect after Roe v Wade was overturned.

The state's top election official announced on Thursday that about 85% of the more than 55,000 signatures submitted in support of the ballot initiative are valid, exceeding the required 35,017 signatures.