Minnesota Legislature Considering Extreme Abortion and Infanticide Bill

Last week the Minnesota House voted in favor of the “PRO” Act, a bill that creates a “right” to abortion up until birth in Minnesota. With the Senate debating this bill on the floor today, another lethal abortion bill is quickly making its way through the Minnesota legislature. HF 91 and its companion bill, SF 70, acts as a “how to” for the PRO Act, moving from the broad “rights” language of HF 1 to specific abortion expansions. HF 91 would make Minnesota one of the most extreme abortion states in the nation, depriving unborn babies of any and all protections under law and even allowing infanticide.

In committee, the author of this extreme bill was asked “When is a baby a human?” Representative Liebling dismissed this question as “inflammatory rhetoric” and “completely irrelevant.” How can such a question be irrelevant to a bill that would deny babies the right to life up until and even after birth? Under Minnesota’s Born Alive Infant’s Protection Act, medical providers are required to give life-saving care to babies who survive abortions. HF 91 and SF 70 repeal that law, allowing medical professionals to leave babies to die of neglect on a metal table after botched abortions. This is nothing less than legalized infanticide.

HF 91 and SF 70 would also remove all restrictions on abortion, as well as repealing reporting requirements, informed consent laws, and health and safety requirements. Currently, Minnesota releases an annual abortion report providing information on how many abortions were performed throughout the state, the age of the babies who were aborted, reasons for abortion, and how many babies survived abortions each year. These reports are the reason we know that Minnesota commits roughly 10,000 abortions and that five Minnesota babies survived abortion and were denied medical care in 2021, the most recent year we have data on.

As Renee Carlson, General Counsel of True North Legal boldly stated while giving legal testimony on SF 70, “Cattle and reptiles will have more legal protections in Minnesota than Minnesota’s vulnerable preborn children.”

HF 91 and SF 70 even remove reporting requirements when a woman dies because of an abortion. This, combined with the repeal of other safety restrictions, shows an utter disregard for health and safety, and an unwillingness to require any accountability for the abortion industry.

Minnesota is joined by only a small handful of states — New York, Vermont, and California — in embracing this level of abortion extremism. This legislation would make us an outlier on the international stage, as well, joined by China and North Korea in a callous lack of protection for babies and their mothers. Live Action notes that the bill even prevents local jurisdictions from taking any actions to protect unborn babies.

The abortion agenda being advanced by the Minnesota legislature does not reflect the values of the people of our state. On Sunday, pro-life Minnesotans gathered at the state Capitol to march in honor of the unborn children who have been killed by abortion, to celebrate the reversal of Roe v. Wade, and to demonstrate their commitment to continue to stand for life. Together they sent a clear message to lawmakers: we say “no” to abortion radicalism. Marchers included men and women, young and old, people from a diverse range of backgrounds, all united in their stand for the unborn.

In the crowd were men and women who have faithfully marched and prayed every year for 50 years since the Roe v. Wade decision, continuing to work to protect unborn lives even when they wondered if Roe v. Wade would be overturned in their lifetimes. The crowd included pro-life lawmakers, activists and lobbyists, staff and volunteers from pregnancy resource centers who meet the needs of women and families, faithful citizens who have spent decades asking their lawmakers to stand for life and working to elect pro-life officials, women who have courageously spoken out about the reality of abortion regret, and families that have committed to caring for vulnerable children.

It is because God uses faithful people like them, who have committed to the long-term work of protecting life, that Roe is no longer the law of the land on the federal level. And when abortion is no longer the law of the land in Minnesota, it will be through God’s use of faithful people who are committed to honoring him by valuing and protecting the lives of those made in his image.

Tell Legislators: The "How To" Abortion Bill is Wrong for Minnesota

Dear legislator,

Thank you for your service in the Minnesota legislature. As your constituent, I’m writing to ask that you oppose HF91/SF70, the bill that changes Minnesota statute in order to carry out the demands of the Protect Reproductive Options Act. HF91/SF70 dismantles Minnesota’s protections for children in the womb and for removes common sense health and safety protections for women snd young girls that may obtain an abortions.

I believe there are three main reasons why you should vote NO on this legislation:

1. This bill would force all Minnesotans to pay for all abortion services through Medical Assistance

2. HF91 repeals the law protecting children born during abortion surgery (Born Alive Infants Protection Act,) legalizing infanticide.

3. HF91 repeals statutes which ensure that pregnant women give informed consent prior to abortion. 

There are many more reasons to oppose this comprehensive bill, but I think these three truly show the radical nature of this bill. Again, as your constituent, I’m writing to ask for your NO vote on this radical and dangerous bill.

Respectfully signed,

Letter to Church Leaders from MFC's Acting Director of Public Policy

Dear Pastors,

            Thank you so much for your continued lifting of the Minnesota legislature in prayer. The priorities laid out by the majority parties in both Houses are expanding so-called abortion rights, putting transgender surgeries over parental rights, and legalizing marijuana, among other issues. Minnesota Family Council and our legal initiative True North Legal are working around the clock to stop any and all of these bills during this session. This week I’ve been regularly reminded of Ephesians 6:12: “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rules of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” My prayer of Thanksgiving this week is that God is just. He exacts justice for both the victims and the oppressors. It is our job to be messengers of truth. More information and more bills will be coming. Please keep our work in prayer.

Psalm 145:13: “Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures forever.”

In Jesus,

Becca Delahunt, Acting Director of Public Policy

(note that identical bills must pass the House and Senate to be written into law; hence bills have both a House file and a Senate file.)

Life

Protect Reproductive Options (PRO) Act (HF1/SF1)

Minnesota Family Council testimony here. There is so much that can be said about this bill’s extreme overreach. We addressed three significant problems with the bill:

·       The bill codifies the right to abortion through all nine months of pregnancy, up to the moment of a child’s birth, with no respect to a baby’s development or the health and safety of the pregnant mother. For context, it took 50 years to overturn the Supreme Court’s decision on abortion in the Roe v. Wade case. Roe was not statute – it was an interpretation of statute. It is often very difficult to overturn monumental laws.

·       The bill states that each individual has the right to “reproductive health care,” with no definition given for the word “individual.” This means that boys and girls have the right to “reproductive health care,” which the bill authors define as “ including but not limited to, contraception; sterilization; preconception care; maternity care; abortion care; family planning and fertility services; and counseling regarding reproductive health care.”

·       The bill legalizes the right of minors to sterilization without parental or guardian consent.

One other significant question regarding this bill that we do not have an answer for is whether this bill states that every individual has the right to commercial surrogacy. The bill is not comprehensive in its definitions. What does “including but not limited to” mean exactly? Pray for clarity and that the broad wording of this bill is its downfall.

The “How-to” of PRO Act (HF91/SF70)

I highly recommend that you watch the exchange between members of the committee in the bill’s first stop at the House Health Finance and Policy Committee. Start the video around minute 39.

·       HF91 forces all Minnesotans to pay for all abortion services through Medical Assistance (Medicaid.) Taxpayers currently pay for abortions done only in the cases of rape, incest, or when the life of the mother is in danger. According to 2021 reporting from Minnesota Department of Health, these scenarios accounted for less than a percentage of abortions in Minnesota (see pages 19 and 20.)

·       HF91 repeals the law protecting children born during abortion surgery (Born Alive Infants Protection Act,) legalizing infanticide.

·       HF91 repeals statutes which ensure that pregnant women give informed consent prior to abortion. 

Gender/Sexuality

Minnesota Family Council will testify on the multiple upcoming gender ideology and sexualization of children bills:

·       The Kidnapping Bill (HF146/SF63): this bill takes custody from parents or guardians when “gender affirming care” is denied to their minor son or daughter. “Gender-affirming care” includes puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and potentially sex mutilation surgeries.

·       The “Conversion Therapy” Ban Bill: (SF23/HF16): this bill bans mental health professionals from helping minors and vulnerable adults (yes, even adults with physical disabilities) as they struggle with sexual and/or gender identity. The bill states that it is illegal to help a minor or vulnerable adult who struggles with identity bring them into alignment with their created sexed body. Instead, mental health professionals will only be able to provide counseling that helps minors or vulnerable adults in “gender transition” or to take on homosexual identity.

·       Comprehensive Sex Education: (HF174): this bill mandates schools to teach children about the “spectrum” of sexuality. CSE exposes children to gender identity and trains them to think in terms of stereotypes. If the girl feels like she does not fit the stereotype of a girl, CSE encourages her to wonder whether the gender identity she was “assigned at birth” (female) may have been a mistake.

The Gender Unicorn - An image used in Comprehensive Sex Education curricula.

Tell Legislators: Oppose Counseling Ban

Dear legislator,

Thank you for your service in the Minnesota legislature. As your constituent, I’m writing to ask that you oppose HF16/SF23, the Counseling Ban or so-called “Conversion Therapy” ban.

Under the guise of "protection," this bill violates the free speech rights of both clients seeking help on sexual attraction/gender identity and their counselors, as well as various ministries and others who seek to provide care.

Here’s a couple more reasons why I believe you should oppose HF16/SF23:

• Politicians have no business telling people that their personal counseling goals are illegal.

• If this bill passes, kids who want to transition will receive counseling. Kids who want counseling to live consistently with their biology will be denied counseling.

• People should have the freedom to pursue the counseling they want. This bill threatens that.

• The Supreme Court of the United States has ruled that "professional speech" does not deserve any less speech protections.

• Since the bill applies to any “service or product,” this bill could prohibit a counselor from helping even adult clients from exploring options to address questions over sexuality, an author from selling a book challenging gender ideology, and a church from hosting a ticketed conference addressing issues of human sexuality and gender ideology.

• Politicians ARE creating a law that denies people the freedom to find counseling and resources to help them find happiness, and chilling the First Amendment speech rights of counselors and other organizations and individuals that provide those services.

In light of these facts, as your constituent I’m asking that you vote NO on HF16/SF23.

Respectfully signed,

Tell Legislators: The PRO Act is Wrong for Minnesota

Dear Senator,

Thank you for your service in the Minnesota Legislature. As your constituent, I am writing with deep concern about HF 1/SF 1, the PRO Act, which seems a direct affront to commonsense protections for women and for the well-being of children in the womb. I am asking for you to vote NO on this legislation.

I am taking the time to write because I believe this bill is deeply dangerous to all Minnesotans. I'd like to outline a couple reasons why.

The Protect Reproductive Options Act would make Minnesota an outlier in the world with NO LEGAL PROTECTION for the rights of unborn children:

• The bill codifies the right to abortion through all 9 months of pregnancy, with NO LIMITS or restrictions based on the child’s development in the womb.

  • The bill does not delineate between children and adults – minor girls will have the right to abortion without parental or guardian consent.

• Few nations allow for such unrestricted access to abortion – North Korea, China, Vietnam, and Canada are the only countries which allow unrestricted access to abortion.

• In codifying access to abortion throughout pregnancy, this bill also offers no regulation on health and safety standards of abortion facilities and abortion drug dissemination to pregnant women.

  • Health and safety standards exist for nearly every other surgery and drug. This bill orders no health and safety standards for abortion in Minnesota.

  • This bill would allow the abortion industry to profit from pregnant women without any protection for the health of mothers.

• Far from a simple codification of reproductive rights for women, this bill allows the abortion industry to profit from pregnant women, both children and adults, without regulations and without regard for patient health.

• Beyond its codification of complete abortion access, this bill’s broad language states that children and adults have the fundamental right to access other reproductive services, including sterilization and contraception.

• Finally, the bill outlaws any local government regulations on these “reproductive care” services which would restrict the access outlined in the bill.

In view of these established facts, I'm asking you to vote NO on HF 1/SF 1. A NO vote on the PRO Act is actually a vote for the protection of women and children, and I respectfully ask you to vote NO on this bill. I know many of my fellow constituents feel the same way. Minnesota Family Council will keep me informed of your vote and I will take it into account in the next election.

Respectfully signed,