NARAL gives Minnesota C+ in reproductive health, sees room for improvement

NARAL Pro-Choice America, an abortion rights advocacy group, saw improvement in Minnesota and around the country in 2007. But a new report issued by the organization indicates that in Minnesota, there’s still room for improvement.

NARAL’s annual “Who Decides?” report gave Minnesota a C-plus for overall access to abortion services, finding that 95 percent of counties do not have an abortion provider and noting state restrictions on abortion services, such as parental notification requirements, and a ban on funding for abortion referrals. 

But in an interview with Minnesota Monitor, NARAL president Nancy Keenan said that 2008 represents a good opportunity to move forward.“You elect pro-choice individuals, you’re going to see pro-choice measures,” Keenan said, noting that the 2006 elections had resulted in fewer attempts to restrict abortion rights, and more expansion and funding of reproductive health. “In 2007 we saw 28 states enacted about 80 pro-choice measures.  That’s good news.”

Melissa Reed, NARAL’s political director for Minnesota, agreed.

“The 2007 legislative session was unlike any we’d seen in a generation,” said Reed, noting that the 2006 cycle had brought more pro-choice legislators into Minnesota government. “The family planning program was designated by [Gov. Tim] Pawlenty for a 50 percent cut in 2007.  We were able to block that cut.”

Instead, the Legislature restored funding to the levels under former Gov. Arne Carlson, Reed said.

Reed noted that the Legislature also was able to push through a new law that requires hospitals to provide emergency contraception for victims of sexual assault.

“Minnesota is only the 13th state with a law like that,” Reed noted.

Keenan said that NARAL was seeking a “protect and elect” strategy in 2008, to build on gains in 2006.

“We see this as a huge opportunity in 2008,” Keenan said.  “Even though there’s a pro-choice leadership basically in the [U.S.] House and the Senate, we don’t have a working majority.”

Keenan said that NARAL was happy with all of the Democratic presidential candidates, and that she was “really confident that we’re going to elect a pro-choice president.”

Keenan also said that Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minn., would be a target in the fall.

“I think Coleman is very vulnerable,” Keenan said.  “You’re seeing a shift in that state that people are wanting the divisiveness to stop, they want solutions, and they see the hypocrisy that he wants to outlaw abortion, but he’s not doing anything to reduce unwanted pregnancy.  I think he’s out of touch.”

Reed added that NARAL would be targeting legislative gains to increase the pro-choice majority in the Minnesota Legislature.

Reed said suburban cities such as Richfield and Bloomington, which have been traditionally viewed as conservative bastions, would be targets in the upcoming election.

“We’re looking at some of those first- and second-ring districts that for years were discounted,” she said.