St. Paul, MN — Today, lawmakers in the Minnesota House of Representatives and the Minnesota Senate stood together to voice their support for a bill that recognizes the fundamental right of all Minnesotans to make their own reproductive health decisions. The Protect Reproductive Options (PRO) Act protects Minnesotans’ right to contraception, the right to carry a pregnancy to term and the right to abortion – free from interference by anti-abortion politicians who seek to enact or defend medically unnecessary barriers to comprehensive reproductive health care.
The bill (HF 259/SF 731), chief authored by Rep. Kelly Morrison, MD (DFL- Deephaven) and Sen. Jennifer McEwen (DFL-Duluth) recognizes that an individual’s reproductive health care decisions are theirs to make.
With anti-abortion politicians across the country and in Minnesota pushing draconian abortion bans and failing to protect access to birth control, access to comprehensive reproductive health care is under attack. Moreover, with 18 anti-abortion cases one step away from the U.S. Supreme Court, now is the time to protect Minnesotans’ freedom to decide when or if to become a parent.
The Protect Reproductive Options Act (HF 259/SF 731):
- Establishes the fundamental right of Minnesotans to make individual decisions about reproductive health care, including contraception, abortion, and pregnancy.
- Recognizes a fundamental right to privacy for personal reproductive health decisions.
- Prevents politicians from interfering with a person’s fundamental right to make their own reproductive health care decisions.
- Prevents the state from discriminating against Minnesotans who exercise their fundamental reproductive rights on the basis on sex, gender identity or expression, perceived gender identify or expression, sexual orientation, disability, race, ethnicity, age, national origin, immigration status or religion.
“As an OB-GYN, it’s my job to care for the reproductive health of my patients. It is essential that patients are free to make the reproductive health decisions that are right for them, free from government interference. Politicians should not be making reproductive health care decisions for Minnesotans. Birth control, pregnancy, and vasectomies are personal health care decisions that a Minnesotan makes with their faith, family, and doctor,” said Rep. Kelly Morrison, M.D.
“The decision when or whether to become a parent is a milestone in people’s lives. I’m proud to author legislation that will guarantee that all Minnesotans can decide for themselves when or if to start a family. I want to be sure Minnesotans know: we are fighting for your reproductive freedom and options,” said Sen. Jen McEwen.
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