Democrats are trying to provide legal protections to patients who may be targeted by other states for legal abortions in Minnesota.
ST PAUL, Minnesota — Minnesota lawmakers voted Monday to provide legal protections to patients and providers who are at risk of being targeted by other states for having legal abortions in that state.
Rep. Esther Agbaje, a Minneapolis Democrat, was the lead author of the Reproductive Freedom Defense Act, a bill that stipulates that other states will prosecute patients who travel to Minnesota for abortions.
“This law ensures Minnesotans can do what is legal and exercise their rights in Minnesota without being prosecuted by other states,” Rep. Agbaje told reporters.
“There is a chilling effect on providers in terms of the type of health care they can provide and whether they will be prosecuted for providing patients with the reproductive health care they need.”
The bill aims to increase the privacy of medical records by prohibiting agencies in other states from subpoenaing medical records from abortion clinics. It would also prevent the governor and law enforcement agencies from working with other state officials to pursue legal action over legal abortions in Minnesota.
“These bills promise harmful lawsuits and severe criminal penalties for abortion providers, patients and anyone who would assist with an abortion,” said Jess Braverman, legal director of Gender Justice.
“It will prevent Minnesota law enforcement and courts from being hijacked in the service of laws that go against our values and the values of a majority of Minnesotans who support access to safe and legal abortion.”
dr Sarah Traxler of Planned Parenthood North Central States said she’s seen an influx of patients from states far beyond Minnesota’s borders.
“For the first time ever, I am regularly attending to patients from Texas, Alabama, Wyoming, Oklahoma, Louisiana and the list goes on and on.”
During Monday afternoon’s plenary debate, Republicans argued that such legislation would disrupt the relationships of Minnesota’s courts and law enforcement agencies with their peers in other states. They said it would seek legal challenges in violation of the good faith and creditworthiness clause of the US Constitution.
“Minnesota has a proud history of standing up for our constitutional union,” Rep. Harry Niska, a Ramsey Republican, told colleagues.
“We all stood today and swore allegiance to one nation, under God, indivisible. Indivisible! We tell other states, even if you get a judgment in your state, if we disagree in Minnesota, we’re not enforcement — but only on that one issue.”
Rep. Peggy Scott, an Andover Republican and a staunch anti-abortion activist, said Minnesota should not create laws exonerating people for breaking laws in other states.
“We are making a law for our state to allow for the breaking of a law in another state and no one here will be held accountable for that!”
St. Paul Democrat Athena Hollins has denied these claims.
“People deserve health care. Providing health care and caring about people is a Minnesota value. It doesn’t have to be more complicated.”
The bill passed by a vote of 68 to 62, mostly along the party line, with a Democrat from southern Minnesota joining 61 Republicans to vote against.
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