District 1 Legislators Sounds Off On Abortion Legislature

St. Paul, MN — Democrats in the Minnesota legislature fast-tracked an abortion bill last week that Republicans are saying is the most extreme abortion bill in the nation. The Protect Reproductive Options Act, or PRO Act, guarantees the right reproductive health care, including abortion, birth control, family planning, and sterilization. It passed along party lines in both the House and Senate before being signed law by Governor Tim Walz. Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson, who represents District 1, says Democrats are lying when they says this bill is about protecting reproductive rights.

Senator Johnson says this bill actually takes a step backwards by not doing anything to guarantee the health and safety of moms and babies.

As extreme as this bill is, Representative Deb Keil, who also represents District 1, says more extremism could be on the way from Democrats in Minnesota.

The Protect Reproductive Options Act contains only a few paragraphs. It states “Every individual has a fundamental right to make autonomous decisions about the individual’s own reproductive health, including the fundamental right to use or refuse reproductive health care. Every individual who becomes pregnant has a fundamental right to continue the pregnancy and give birth, or obtain an abortion, and to make autonomous decisions about how to exercise this fundamental right.”

It also states that a local unit of government may not regulate an individual’s ability to freely exercise the fundamental rights beyond what is stated in the bill.

Listen to the full interview District 1 State Senator Mark Johnson from KRJB Kaleidoscope Program below:

Listen to the full interview with District 1B Representative Deb Kiel from the KKCQ Food for Thought Program below: