Abortion questions linger after defeat of constitutional amendment

Pending lawsuit could still move forward despite decisive victory

Rick Weiland addresses Rep. Will Mortenson during the 2024 legislative session. (Austin Goss/The Dakota Scout)

The losing architect behind a measure to expand abortion in South Dakota says the effort will be back, but hinted that he won’t be the leader of whatever comes next.

Rick Weiland, the co-founder of Dakotans for Health, said in a message to The Dakota Scout that Tuesday’s resounding defeat of Amendment G by a vote of 59 percent to 41 percent won’t end the issue.

“The fight for women to restore their reproductive rights will continue. What shape that fights takes and who leads it will emerge in the coming days, weeks and months ahead.”

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