Bill Tracker

Track bills and take action!

Introducing Minnesota Family Council’s 2024 bill tracker. In addition to our email updates and action alerts, bookmarking this page will keep you informed on the issues facing the Minnesota Legislature this year to do with life, family, and religious freedom. When it’s appropriate, this page will include links to take action and tell your legislators what you think of a pending bill.

Human Rights Act Modification

MFC/TNL support HF3926 | SF3848
The Minnesota Human Rights Act (MHRA) is a section of Minnesota statutes (laws) developed in 1993 that establishes and balances the rights of various groups within the state of Minnesota. From 1993 until 2023, religious organizations have been exempt from this law with regard to “sexual orientation.”
What does that mean? It means that organizations such as churches, mosques, synagogues, parochial schools, Islamic private schools, etc. have been able to make employment and curriculum decisions which are aligned with the tenets of their faith.
During the 2023 state legislative session, the governing majority added “gender identity” as a protected class without adding the exemption for faith groups, an exemption which had been implemented for “sexual orientation” for 30 years. After the 2023 session, faith groups met with key legislators to share concerns that the lack of religious exemption inclusion is a violation of religious freedom. Specifically, this violates the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, the Minnesota Constitution, and SCOTUS doctrines of church autonomy and the application of the ministerial exception.
True North Legal and other faith groups across the state have continued to advocate for statutory changes which would restore religious freedom protections for people of all faiths. As written without the exemption, the statute infringes on clearly established legal rights of religious organizations.

Read the bill that would fix the statutes: HF3926 | SF3848

Watch True North Legal Testimony: Senate Judiciary and Public Policy Committee, March 18, 2024.
Note: this testimony addressed the concerns related to current law and the consequences of not adopting the amendment during the hearing addressing the MHRA and related statutory provisions.

Read the True North Legal blog explanation of the situation.

Current bill status: House GOP held a press conference on Monday, March 25, 2024, to request that the DFL accept their floor motion that day to bring the bill up for a vote. During the March 25 floor session, the motion was tabled, meaning that Rep. Niska’s motion was halted. We have until the end of session to fix the statute before waiting for a future session to fix the statute.

Physician Assisted Suicide

MFC/TNL oppose HF1930 | SF1813
This bill legalizes assisted suicide in Minnesota. It allows both Minnesota and non-Minnesota residents to seek lethal drugs if that individual has received a diagnosis of six months to live. Although the bill does require sign-off from two medical professionals, the professional prescribing drugs is not required to be a licensed physician. In addition, a mental fitness diagnosis is not required to be performed by a licensed mental health therapist, if the medical professionals signing off on assisted suicide deem that the individual seeking drugs is mentally fit.

Read the bill here: HF1930 | SF1813

Read Minnesota Family Council and True North Legal joint testimony

Current bill status: In committee in both chambers.

The “Equal Rights Amendment” or ERA

MFC/TNL oppose SF37 | HF173
The ERA is a proposed amendment to the Minnesota constitution which would ensure that “equal rights” shall not be abridged or denied on the basis of “gender identity or expression.” Recent media indicates that the language will be updated to include explicit protection of abortion up to the moment of a baby’s birth. In addition, that language update has removed any protection for religious freedom.

Read the bill here: SF37 | HF173. Note the updated language has not yet dropped on the government website but is expected to be updated soon.

note: bills have a Senate and a House version.

Read MFC Testimony: House State and Local Government Finance and Policy Committee, March 2, 2023

Current bill status: Passed the Minnesota Senate on May 17, 2023, by a vote of 43 to 23 with bipartisan support. The ERA is set to be voted on by the Minnesota House. If the ERA passes the Minnesota House, it will be set to go to Minnesota voters in a future general election to amend the state constitution.

Legalization and Regulation of For-Profit Surrogacy

MFC/TNL oppose HF3567 | SF3504
The updated language linked below legalizes for-profit surrogacy in Minnesota. Surrogacy is already happening in Minnesota, but there isn’t a legal framework for the practice, meaning that it is technically illegal. Many people are unfamiliar with surrogacy. The general process is as follows: a person who desires a child procures gametes from at least one “donor,” either sperm or egg. In some cases, donors are sought for both. The egg and sperm are fertilized through assisted reproductive technology before the embryo is placed into the womb of a “gestational carrier” (surrogate.) The surrogate births the baby, who is given to the “intended parent(s).”
This language would legalize for-profit surrogacy, with no requirement that one of the “intended parents” be biologically related. There is also no requirement for any of the parties to be residents of Minnesota (imagine the facilitation of international human trafficking.) Surrogacy allows “intended parents” to bypass the background checks required for adoptive families or foster families, allowing nearly anyone with money and means to buy a child. Every child has a right to a mother and father; not every adult has a right to a child.

Read the bill here: HF3567 | SF3504

Watch MFC Testimony: Part 1 in House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committee, March 19, 2024 | Part 2 in Senate Judiciary and Public Safety Committee, March 22, 2024

Current bill status: Ready to be voted on in the House floor; Laid over by Senate Judiciary for possible inclusion in an omnibus Judiciary bill.

Mandated Insurance Coverage of Abortion and Medical Assistance Coverage of Abortion Clarified

MFC/TNL oppose HF4053 | SF3967
The language mandates that medical insurers operating in Minnesota cover abortion for all employers, removing abortion carveout in current statute, except for self-insured employers.

Read the bill here: HF4053 | SF3967

Watch True North Legal Testimony: Part 1 in Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee, March 7, 2024 | Part 2 in Senate Health and Human Services Committee, March 20, 2024

Read True North Legal Testimony

Current bill status: In committee in both chambers.

Mandated Insurance Coverage of “Gender-Affirming Care” and Medical Assistance Clarified, Expanded

MFC/TNL oppose HF2607 | SF2209
The language mandates that all medical insurers operating in Minnesota cover “gender-affirming care” as medically necessary. The language also clarifies and expands current state taxpayer funding of “gender-affirming care.”

Read the bill here: HF2607 | SF2209
Watch MFC Testimony: Part 1 in House Commerce Finance and Policy Committee, March 6, 2024 | Part 2 in Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee, March 7, 2024 | Part 3 in Senate Health and Human Services Committee, March 20, 2024
Watch Detransitioner Camille Kiefel’s testimony in Senate Health and Human Services, requesting that an amendment be added to ensure that detransitioners also have mandatory coverage
Current Bill status: In committee in both chambers

The “Gender-Affirming Rights Act”

MFC/TNL oppose HF2280 | SF2236
The so-called “Gender-Affirming Rights Act” would give every “individual” the “fundamental right to make autonomous decisions about the individual's own gender, and related gender-affirming health care.” The language does not define the word “individual,” giving every child and adult the fundamental right to make these decisions. By taking parental and guardianship protection away from the child, this bill exposes children directly to the medical industrial complex, allowing the medical industrial complex to contract with children without informed consent.

Read the bill here: HF2280 | SF2236

Watch MFC Testimony: House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committee, March 9, 2023

Current bill status: In committee in both chambers.