Date: January 26, 2023
Host: Jim Schneider
Guest: Moses Bratrud
MP3 | Order
As many of you know, the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision that the Supreme Court released on June 24th has taken abortion back to the states. Many already had laws on the books protecting human life in the womb and banned abortion. Other states, without such protections, have taken this opportunity to advance legislation to protect life. Tragically, there have been states that have put pre-born children in the cross-hairs of their scope. Such is the case with legislation that has been swiftly moving this month in the state of Minnesota.
Appearing on Crosstalk to bring listeners the details was Moses Bratrud. Moses is director of communications with Minnesota Family Council.
The legislature in Minnesota had just been sworn in on January 3rd when a very destructive piece of legislation was introduced the next day in the Senate. Senate File 1 (SF-1) is known as the Protect Reproductive Options Act (PRO Act). Moses explained that this would put in Minnesota statute the right to abortion right up to the moment of birth.
Going back to November 22nd, Democrats won a narrow election victory in Minnesota; 6 seats in the House and a razor thin majority of one seat in the Senate. This gives them a “trifecta” where with control of the governor’s office they have complete control of state government for the first time since 2014. So as you can see, they’re wasting no time in attempting to codify the so-called right to abortion.
In the 1995 Doe v. Gomez decision, the Minnesota Supreme Court said that there is a right to abortion through the second trimester. However, the PRO Act, when combined with other Minnesota statutes and court cases, would extend that through the third trimester. So again, this would allow abortion until the moment of birth.
The legislation passed 69-65 in the Minnesota House so there was one Democrat who decided to oppose this radical abortion bill.
The Senate will convene tomorrow and this legislation is on the docket beginning at 10:30am where they have a one seat pro-abortion majority.
Then there’s companion legislation HF-91/SF-70. While these pieces of legislation have not been referred to the floor, Moses noted how this would affect minors, their ability to get an abortion, and the possibility that it might cover up child sexual abuse. It would cancel protections for viable pre-born babies as well as babies born alive during a botched abortion, it would allow abortions on unconscious women, halt reporting of women who died while having an abortion, and allow the unregulated disposal of the aborted babies.
Also discussed was HF-16 which involves protection from conversion therapy.
More Information
mfc.org (Click on “The Family Beacon” for more information.)
Google “find my legislator” for the state of Minnesota.
To leave a message with Kari Dziedzic, the Majority Leader of the Minnesota Senate, call 651-296-7809.
