A federal judge has temporarily halted a South Dakota rule from taking effect that would have made the state one of the hardest places in the U.S. to get abortion pills.
U-S District Judge Karen Schreier late Wednesday granted a request from Planned Parenthood for a restraining order on the state Department of Health rule set to go into effect today.
Gov Kristi Noem initiated the rule change last year through an executive order and it was ratified by a legislative oversight committee earlier this month.
. The rule required abortion-seekers to return to a doctor to receive the second of two drugs used for a medication abortion rather than being able to get it at the same time as the first and return home with it to take the following day.