Right to abortion chiseled into state law

The fundamental right to abortion is statutorily secured through the Protect Reproductive Options Act.

Sponsored by Rep. Carlie Kotyza-Witthuhn (DFL-Eden Prairie) and Sen. Jennifer McEwen (DFL-Duluth), a new law safeguards reproductive health care beyond the protections from the Minnesota Supreme Court’s Doe v. Gomez decision.

Effective Feb. 1, 2023, the law ensures the right for a person to make autonomous decisions about their reproductive health care.

Per the law, reproductive health care "means health care offered, arranged, or furnished for the purpose of preventing pregnancy, terminating a pregnancy, managing pregnancy loss, or improving maternal health and birth outcomes. Reproductive health care includes, but is not limited to, contraception; sterilization; preconception care; maternity care; abortion care; family planning and fertility services; and counseling regarding reproductive health care.”

Curbing local government, the law obstructs any additional, more restrictive regulations.

Furthermore, the law reiterates that the principles in the state constitution ensure this right to reproductive freedom.

HF1*/SF1/CH4

HF0001* / SF0001 / CH4