An initial draft majority opinion from the U.S. Supreme Court revealed the court’s intention to overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, which guarantees federal constitutional protections of abortion rights. If this draft reflects their final ruling, it would be an extreme reversal of protections that have been in place for over 50 years and lead to dangerous ripple effects across the country.
Over half the states in the country are certain or likely to ban abortion if Roe is weakened or overturned, many having passed ‘trigger bans’ that will take effect automatically. Minnesota could become one of the only states in the Midwest that protects reproductive healthcare, leading to an influx of out-of-state patients and creating delays and barriers for Minnesotans seeking care, especially those from marginalized communities.
While the right to abortion is constitutionally protected in Minnesota, the Republican Party has been adding restrictions for decades in the hopes of eliminating access to safe and timely reproductive healthcare. They’ve introduced nearly a dozen bills in this session alone that would ban or limit access to abortion care, despite most Minnesotans agreeing that politicians should stay out of these decisions. And just last week, every Senate Republican voted against an amendment on the floor that would have affirmed the right to reproductive choice and privacy in Minnesota. Now more than ever, Minnesota needs to lead by preserving and expanding access to reproductive healthcare through DFL bills like the “Patients Right to Know Act” and “Protect Reproductive Options Act.”
The extremist Republican agenda attacking reproductive care, coupled with their inaction this session on issues like paid family leave, affordable childcare, and expanding healthcare coverage, show a complete lack of support for pregnant people, families, and children. Reproductive rights are human rights, and Minnesotans deserve the right to decide how, when, and if they start a family. DFLers will continue to fight against these radical, dangerous attacks and make sure Minnesotans have the ability to make the life and medical decisions that are best for them.
