MN House Passes Reproductive Freedom Defense Act

UnRestrict Minnesota celebrates passage of bill protecting against out-of-state anti-abortion attacks, calls for swift Senate passage

March 20, 2023

By a vote of 68 to 62, the Minnesota House of Representatives has passed the Reproductive Freedom Defense Act (HF 366), designed to protect people seeking, providing, and helping others get abortion care in Minnesota against legal attacks by out-of-state anti-abortion activists.

UnRestrict Minnesota celebrates this milestone in advancing another critical piece of legislation defending reproductive freedom, and calls on the Senate to move quickly in enshrining its protections in law.

“Today Minnesota lawmakers have taken another critical step forward in fiercely defending everyone in our state from the threats and legal attacks of the anti-abortion activists running rampant in other states,” said Abena Abraham, campaign director for UnRestrict Minnesota.

“Everyone who seeks or provides abortion care and other essential reproductive health services in Minnesota faces serious danger due to measures enabling anti-abortion extremists to threaten and punish them from across state lines. It is an affront to our values, our institutions, our democracy, and the rule of law, and we are calling on the champions of reproductive freedom in the Senate to act urgently in putting a stop to it.”

The US Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade resulted in states across the country banning or preparing to ban abortion. Now anti-abortion lawmakers are going even further, introducing legislation that would subject those seeking, providing, or assisting people in getting abortion care to criminal prosecution and lawsuits — even in states, like Minnesota, where abortion is a guaranteed right.

The Reproductive Freedom Defense Act would ensure that patients traveling to Minnesota for abortion care and the providers who serve them are protected from legal attacks and criminal penalties from anti-abortion extremists from other states. It will also prevent Minnesota’s law enforcement agencies and courts from being hijacked in service of laws that go against the values of the majority of Minnesotans who support equitable access to safe and legal abortion, and the guaranteed rights of all Minnesotans.

The RFDA is part of a package of bills introduced in this legislative session to enact strong protections for reproductive freedom and abortion access throughout Minnesota. In addition to the Protect Reproductive Options (PRO) Act, passed and signed into law in January, the proposed legislation includes:

• The Reproductive Freedom Codification Act (HF91/SF70), removing from Minnesota’s legislative code a lengthy list of restrictions on abortion rights and access, many of which have been ruled unconstitutional by Minnesota state court.
• The Positive Pregnancies Support Act (HF289/SF336), expanding the resources, information, and support available to pregnant people through state-funded programs and ending the harm caused by state funding of anti-abortion centers and deceptive practices aimed at imposing an anti-abortion agenda.

All of these measures enjoy broad support among Minnesota voters. Polling commissioned by UnRestrict Minnesota and conducted by PerryUndem in December 2022 showed that:

• Three quarters of Minnesota voters want to see abortion providers protected against legal action against them by other states that have banned abortion, and 74 percent support protections for people traveling from out-of-state to get abortion care in Minnesota.
• Almost two-thirds of voters want laws that support rights and access to abortion, and 68% support repealing laws that restrict access to abortion.
• 67% say they want everyone in the state to have equal access to abortion, regardless of their location or financial status, and 66% support Medicaid coverage for abortion care.

“At a time when extremist politicians in states across the US are trying relentlessly to drag us all back into the past, Minnesota is leading the way toward a brighter future for safe, legal, equitable access to abortion and all essential reproductive health care,” said Abraham.

“The people of our state have made clear that strong protections for reproductive rights and health care access are core Minnesota values, and we have a historic opportunity to enshrine those values in law. We applaud the House’s actions today and we’re counting on the Senate to take up this important piece of legislation. We must enact the Reproductive Freedom Defense Act and advance all proposed legislation to strengthen and defend reproductive freedom now.”

CONTACT
Erin Hart, Communications Director
erin.hart@genderjustice.us
508.250.7621