Abortions remain a legally protected right in Minnesota — but it just became a politically hotter issue for this fall’s elections.
Abortions remain a legally protected right in Minnesota — but it just became a politically hotter issue for this fall’s elections. Legally speaking, Friday’s decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the 50-year-old case of Roe v. Wade means little inside the borders of Minnesota. That’s because the Minnesota Supreme Court has ruled that banning abortions outright would violate a woman’s “fundamental right of privacy” under the Minnesota Constitution. The decision, known as Doe v. Gomez, was issued in 1995 and struck down a state restriction on public funds for the poor being used to fund births but not abortions. The current make-up of Minnesota’s highest court — most appointees of Democratic governors — make it unlikely to reverse itself any time soon. The current make-up of the state’s highest elected officials also make it unlikely anything will change in Minnesota right now. Earlier this week, Attorney General Keith Ellison, a Democrat, vowed to make Minnesota a sort of safe haven for anyone seeking abortions, including pregnant people traveling from other states. Minnesota’s Planned Parenthood leader has said she expects to see an influx of women from other states where abortion is now or will soon be outlawed. Abortions became illegal in Wisconsin and South Dakota Friday. In Wisconsin, a law outlawing abortions remains on the books. It had been rendered unenforceable under Roe, but now it’s in effect. South Dakota’s prompt outlawing of abortions is the result of a so-called “trigger law” that outlawed the practice the moment the U.S. Supreme Court ruling came down. North Dakota will outlaw abortions in a month, according to a state law that can now go into effect.
