On Monday, July 29th, 2024, Iowa enacted one of the strictest abortion laws in the nation. Iowa’s new law bans most abortions beyond 6 weeks, before many people know they are even pregnant.
As Iowa’s strict abortion law takes effect, clinics in Minnesota are preparing for an influx of patients from out-of-state seeking essential health care.
Let’s look at all the powerful work our progressive leaders have done to establish Minnesota as a beacon of access to reproductive care in the Midwest.
Progressives Codified the Right to Abortion in Minnesota
Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 case that affirmed the constitutional right to abortion, was overturned by conservative Supreme Court justices in June of 2022. Since then, it has been up to state legislatures to take action on reproductive health policies, especially on abortion, gender-affirming care, and contraception.
During the 2022 midterms, Minnesotans made it clear that they expected elected officials to act and protect reproductive freedom. We elected the state’s first-ever pro-choice progressive trifecta.
Our progressive leaders in the Minnesota House and Senate and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz worked tirelessly during the legislative session to champion bills that protect abortion access. And they fought back against conservatives trying to eliminate access to reproductive health care.
One of the first bills Governor Tim Walz signed into law last year was The Protect Reproductive Options Act (PRO Act).
The PRO Act protects the right to contraception, the right to carry a pregnancy to term, the right to fertility treatment, and the right to an abortion. The bill also protects reproductive rights at all state government levels, meaning that a city or county cannot limit reproductive rights or abortion access.
Progressives are Protecting Out-of-State Patients and Doctors
Even though the PRO Act codified the right to abortion for Minnesota residents, progressives also took measures to keep Minnesota a beacon of access to reproductive care in the Midwest.
With the right to abortion continuously under attack in our neighboring states, Governor Walz signed the Reproductive Freedom Defense Act. This act protects patients coming to Minnesota from a state that banned abortions and doctors who practice in Minnesota or outside Minnesota.
Minnesota has become a safe haven for people seeking abortions in our neighboring states with abortion bans. The share of out-of-state patients traveling to Minnesota for an abortion tripled between 2020 and 2023.
In the wake of Iowa’s 6-week abortion ban, Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan said:
Let me just be clear. For our friends in Iowa, you are welcome here. There are people who will provide care for you, and we are good neighbors here in Minnesota. So, if you’re afraid, come to Minnesota, we’ve got you.
Conservatives Still Want to Ban Abortion in Minnesota
Even though our progressive trifecta secured the passage of these critical laws, every conservative member of the Minnesota Senate voted against the PRO Act. And they even launched an informal filibuster to prevent the bill from passing the Senate.
Eighty abortion restrictions were enacted in 2023 across the country, and in combination with bans enacted in 2022, have resulted in access to care being restricted for millions of people.
Help Us Hold Conservatives Accountable
Iowa has become the fourth state in the nation to enact a near-total abortion ban since conservatives on the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade two years ago.
We’re thankful to live in a state that values bodily autonomy and the fundamental right to abortion. And we’re grateful to our progressive leaders for taking bold action to codify abortion rights and protect patients and physicians from other states like Iowa.
But the ongoing attacks from conservatives on abortion rights are unacceptable. Minnesotans are sick and tired of having our rights under attack.
We need to hold conservatives accountable for trying to take away our reproductive freedoms so that we can continue to build a better Minnesota for the years to come.
Sign up to help us hold conservatives accountable.
