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St. Paul, MN – March 27, 2018 – Today, the Minnesota Senate Committee on Health and Human Services Finance and Policy advanced SF 2849, which requires health care providers to offer patients the option of viewing an ultrasound prior to an abortion. This comes on the heels of the Minnesota House of Representatives’ Health and Human Services Reform Committee advancing an identical bill (HF 3194) last week. The following is a statement from Sarah Stoesz, President of the Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund.

“Planned Parenthood is opposed to SF 2849. This bill is unnecessary since women already have the option to view an ultrasound prior to an abortion. The legislation interferes in the relationship between a patient and her doctor, putting politics where it doesn’t belong. This proposal is based on a fundamental distrust of women to make thoughtful, informed medical decisions, and a distrust of doctors to provide women with complete, appropriate information. Patients deserve their physicians’ best medical judgment and counsel, not unnecessary mandates dictated by politicians. Governor Mark Dayton has stated publicly that he is opposed to this bill.

While the Minnesota Senate is focused on this needless legislation, the Trump Administration is threatening to take away birth control from women in our state and across the country. Nearly nine in 10 women will use contraception at some point in their lives and we stand with Minnesota legislators who have introduced the Protect Access to Contraception (PAC) Act to defend the right to no-cost birth control in our state. The legislature should focus on priorities that improve our state’s health, like making sure Minnesota women have affordable contraception, not on bills that undermine the patient-doctor relationship.” 

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Founded in 1992, the Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund is an independent, non-partisan, non-profit organization. As the political arm of PPMNS, we mobilize supporters of all parties to defend and increase access to family planning services and fact based, medically accurate sexuality education. We work to inspire and engage citizens to take up the cause of reproductive health and rights through education, electoral activity, grassroots organizing and legislative advocacy.

Tags: minnesota

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Ultrasound Bill (HF 3194 / SF 2849)

HF 3194/SF 2849 would require providers to offer patients the option of viewing an ultrasound prior to an abortion. Patients already have the right to view their ultrasound. That’s not what this bill is about. This bill is about legislating the conversation that takes place between a doctor and a patient – which sets a dangerous precedent. Doctors, not politicians, should determine the health care needs of patients.

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