Legislative Update: Women’s Choice

The Minnesota House on Friday rejected a measure to ban public funding of abortions by a 68-64 vote as part of an omnibus health care bill.  Although a handful of DFLers voted for the ban along with all but one House Republican, the measure was still defeated. 

Also rejected were attempts to divert funds intended for family planning services and a bill that required doctors who perform abortions to have clinical privileges at a nearby hospital.

Although the DFL party holds a significant majority, little has been done to roll back other anti-choice legislation, such as the 24-hour waiting period or the Women’s Right to Know Act.  The latter, which passed during the 2003 legislative session, provides information to women seeking abortions that states that abortion has been linked to increased risk of breast cancer.  That conclusion has been disproved today by a 10-year study conducted by Harvard Medical School.  Minnesota is one of three states that both has and enforces the Women’s Right to Know Act (Montana’s is not enforced as it was found unconstitutional.)