MN House passes a pair of abortion bills – Wahpeton Daily News

Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton has threatened to veto a pair of abortion-related measures passed by the Republican-controlled House Monday. One bill would set new licensing and inspection requirements for abortion clinics and the other would prohibit the funding of abortions under state-sponsored health care programs.

Legislators voted 77-54 on the prohibition bill, HF809, sponsored by Rep. Mary Franson, R-Alexandria, which would apply to the Medical Assistance program. That bill now moves to the Senate.

The Hyde Amendment bans federal funds from paying for abortions except in the case of rape, incest or preserving the life of the mother. A 1995 Minnesota Supreme Court decision struck down a 1978 law similar to HF809 as unconstitutional.

Prior to the debate on the House floor, Rep. Erin Murphy, DFL-St. Paul, charged Republicans of playing politics on abortion and wasting time that could be used to resolve the state budget.

My Republican colleagues are inserting themselves into a decision about the health care of women, that should be the decision for a women, her family and her health care provider, Murphy said.

Franson said her bill would apply the same restriction to the Medical Assistance program, noting My constituents and I do not believe we should pay for elective abortions, according to Session Daily. She said some organizations offer financial assistance to help women pay for the procedure.

I believe that women deserve better than abortion, Franson said. Providing free abortion does nothing to help women.

Rep. Abigail Whelan, R-Ramsey, said using taxpayer dollars for abortions is a violation of the religious freedom of Minnesotans who are being forced to fund a practice that goes against their sincerely-held religious beliefs.

Rep. Laurie Halverson, DFL-Eagen, disagreed, arguing the entire range of health care should be available to women in the state regardless of whether they are wealthy or poor.

Rep. Peggy Flanagan, DFL-St. Louis Park, said, Were developing a habit of not listening to low-income women and not listening to women of color within the Legislature.

The bill includes a severability clause, which would state the Legislatures intent as being that if a court were to find part of the bill unconstitutional, the rest would remain in effect, Session Daily reported.

The licensing measure, HF812, sponsored by Rep. Debra Kiel, R-Crooskston, includes inspections every two years, a $365 biennial license fee and a system for suspension or revocation. The House passed the bill 79-53 and it now moves on to the Senate.

The bill proposes as of July 1, 2018 the commissioner of health would be responsible for issuing licenses to facilities where 10 or more elective abortions are performed monthly, not including separately licensed hospitals and outpatient surgical centers.

We are not looking to shut down abortion facilities, Kiel said. We are working to make sure that women are our priority.

To be eligible, a facility would need accreditation or to belong to a membership organization; losing either could lead to loss of a license.

The House adopted an amendment offered by Kiel, as amended, raising the license fee from $345 to $365 and adjusting the appropriation to $55,000 in Fiscal Year 2018 and $8,000 in Fiscal Year 2019.

Gov. Dayton vetoed a similar bill in 2012.

Several DFLers said the state already regulates abortion facilities by licensing doctors and other medical professionals, and noted that other medical procedures arent covered under the bill.

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MN House passes a pair of abortion bills - Wahpeton Daily News