2018 Minnesota Legislative Session Preview

By Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund, Inc. | Feb. 21, 2018, 8:53 p.m.

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From failed bills designed to cut funding for family planning services to the passage of two dangerous bills limiting access to abortion, the 2017 Minnesota Legislative session was tough for reproductive rights. Thanks to YOUR overwhelming energy and the steadfast support of Governor Dayton, reproductive rights remained mostly intact for Minnesotans. 

This year, we’re facing even more challenges, and the legislative session is extra short (three months), so get ready to stand up and fight back even harder than you did in 2017.

Here’s what we’re fighting:

• HF 3194 / SF 2849 - A bill that would require providers to offer patients the option of viewing an ultrasound prior to an abortion. Doctors, not politicians, should determine the health care needs of patients. With this bill, politicians are setting standards of medical care. Update: This bill passed its committees and awaits action by the full Minnesota House of Representatives and Minnesota Senate. Governor Dayton opposes the bill.
• HF 2792 / SF 3382 – A bill that would ban abortion at the point of fertilization, confer personhood status on a fertilized egg, and makes performing an abortion a felony crime. This bill is a dangerous, unconstitutional and blatant attempt at turning back 45 years of reproductive rights in the United States. This assault on women would strip away any ability to terminate a pregnancy – with no exception for rape or incest - and effectively ban certain types of birth control. Update: This bill has not met legislative deadlines. While it is still possible that the bill could surface as an amendment in the remaining weeks of Session, it is unlikely.  
• HF 2998 / SF 2644 – A bill that would require the Minnesota Department of Public Safety to create “Choose Life” license plates, with proceeds going to Positive Alternative to Abortion grantees (i.e. crisis pregnancy centers). Proceeds from the license plates would fund groups that actively dissuade or intentionally mislead women about their reproductive health care options. Instead, we should be funding medically accurate efforts to reduce unplanned pregnancies. Update: This bill has not met legislative deadlines. While it is still possible that the bill could surface as an amendment in the remaining weeks of Session, it is unlikely. 
• HF 2814 - A bill that would prohibit research using aborted fetal tissue. While this bill wouldn’t affect Planned Parenthood because we don’t have a fetal tissue donation program, it does further stigmatize abortion. Update: This bill has not met legislative deadlines. While it is still possible that the bill could surface as an amendment in the remaining weeks of Session, it is unlikely.  
• HF 3200 - A bill that would expand inspection requirements for abortion facilities. This is a burdensome restriction that wastes taxpayer dollars since medical providers, including abortion providers, are already inspected by the county. Update: This bill has not met legislative deadlines. While it is still possible that the bill could surface as an amendment in the remaining weeks of Session, it is unlikely.  
• HF 2813 / SF 3039 - A bill that would require providers to retain abortion patient records for 30 years. The intent of this bill is to dissuade women from terminating a pregnancy over fears of what will happen to her private information after 30 years and is yet another unnecessary restriction on abortion providers. Update: This bill has not met legislative deadlines. While it is still possible that the bill could surface as an amendment in the remaining weeks of Session, it is unlikely.  

Bill to Protect Access to No-Cost Birth Control Stopped 

While it’s great news that most of these terrible bills won’t go anywhere this Session, we are disappointed that a common-sense bill that would protect access to no-cost birth control has not received any hearings.

• HF 3453 / SF 3101 (PAC Act) - On March 8, 2018, Rep. Erin Murphy and Sen. Sandy Pappas introduced the Protect Access to Contraception (PAC) Act. The bill requires Minnesota health insurance plans to cover birth control at no out-of-pocket cost. The PAC Act will protect Minnesotans’ access to no-cost contraception from further attacks by the Trump Administration. Update: This bill has not met legislative deadlines and is therefore unlikely to move this Session. 

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