South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem announces bill banning online abortion pill prescriptions

South Dakota Republican Gov. Kristi Noem announced Sunday that she introduced a bill banning telemedicine abortions, where a pill is prescribed online or over the phone and shipped to a woman. 

She justified her legislation to CBS's "Face the Nation" by saying that abortions via pill are "very dangerous medical procedures, a woman is five times more likely to end up in an emergency room if they're utilizing this kind of method for abortion." 

The governor already introduced a bill in January banning telemedicine abortions. The prohibition became law in March, but it has been on hold since February due to legal challenges.

"This is an FDA approved drug," host Margaret Brennan interrupted during Noem's explanation. 

Noem continued by stressing the importance of medical supervision over abortions and said decisions should be made at a state level. Her comments come after the Supreme Court overruled the landmark abortion case Roe v. Wade on Friday.

Because of South Dakota's trigger law, abortion immediately became illegal upon the court's announcement of its decision.

Brennan pressed several times to know whether Noem plans on seizing the mail to prevent women from receiving the pills as President Joe Biden has vowed to use the Justice Department against states that attempt to block the mailing of abortifacients.

Noem responded that "privacy rights [are] very important," adding, "We protect our freedoms and our liberties here."

When asked about whether there should be exceptions to allow abortions in cases of rape or incest, Noem replied, "[M]y heart goes out to every single woman who's had to go through that situation. I don't know what that's like.

”What I would say is that I believe every life is precious. Our trigger law does reflect that if it's to save the life of a mother that an abortion is still illegal."

Noem defended her position by saying that science now shows how fetuses feel pain in the womb and said she will make sure the unborn are protected. 

"I just have never believed that having a tragedy or tragic situation happened to someone is a reason to have another tragedy occur," Noem said. 

The South Dakota Republican said that rather than offering exceptions, she would "prefer that we continue to make sure we go forward and that we're putting resources in front of these women and walking alongside them, getting them the health care, the care, the mental health counseling and services that they should need to make sure that we can continue to support them and build stronger families far into the future as well."