Senate Passes Trans Refuge Bill, Conversion “Therapy” Ban, and Reproductive Freedom Defense Act in Landmark Day for Justice and Autonomy
ST. PAUL, Minn. — On Friday, the Minnesota Senate passed three bills that protect Minnesota’s LGBTQ+ community by banning torture by conversion “therapy” (HF 16); defending health care providers and people seeking reproductive health care (HF 366); and protecting trans youth and their families from out-of-state attacks on gender-affirming health care (HF 146).
The members of the Minnesota Senate Queer Caucus release the following statement:
“On Friday, the Senate upheld Minnesotans’ fundamental rights to evidence-based, life-affirming health care and took steps to protect LGBTQ+ Minnesotans from attempts to distort and deny who they are. Our legislature has once again affirmed that politicians must not stand between a patient and their doctor, and other states’ restrictions on proven, necessary health care will not prevent people in Minnesota from providing or receiving that care. The common thread between the Reproductive Freedom Defense Act, the trans refuge bill, and the conversion ‘therapy’ ban is one of liberty and autonomy. We commend each of our colleagues who ushered these landmark victories for freedom and justice into being, and we look forward to these bills’ passage into law.”
The conversion therapy ban (chief author Senator Scott Dibble) passed 36-27. The trans refuge bill (chief author Senator Erin Maye Quade) passed 34-30. The Reproductive Freedom Defense Act (chief author Senator Kelly Morrison) passed 34-29.
The members of the Senate Queer Caucus are Senator Scott Dibble, Senator Erin Maye Quade, and Senator Clare Oumou Verbeten.
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