Overview:
Even though the patient’s name is not reported, the state mandates that clinics and providers report a patient’s age, the number of miscarriages they have had, the “specific reason” they’re having an abortion, and how they paid for the abortion. In the state’s public report, the Minnesota Department of Health also reports on the patient’s race, marital status, and county of residence, among other things. These data are reported separate from, and in addition to, other standard medical reporting protocols.
Signed into law: 2003
Impact:
If doctors do not collect this information, they could be charged with a felony. Minnesotans are asked to disclose incredibly private and personal information, including how much money they make, how many miscarriages they have had, and a “specific reason for having the abortion.” These questions can feel intrusive and stigmatizing and are an invasion of privacy.