At the Star Tribune, Briana Bierschbach reported late Wednesday morning in Codifying abortion access a top priority after Democrats take power in Minnesota:
Minnesota Democrats say they rode a wave of anger over the U.S. Supreme Court's reversal of Roe v. Wade into complete control of state government, giving them a clear directive from voters to enshrine abortion protections into state law.
Democrats' push will vault the issue to the forefront when lawmakers return to the Capitol in January after years of inaction under divided government. DFL House and Senate leaders say they have enough votes to pass abortion rights bills and send them to the governor's desk — likely for the first time in state history.
"This is a pro-choice state. Period. Full stop," said Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, who won re-election last week alongside DFL Gov. Tim Walz. "With a historic pro-choice trifecta in the Legislature, we aren't just on defense, we can proactively invest in policies and programs that improve people's care and improve people's lives."
Abortion opponents are already criticizing the agenda as "extreme."
"It's also out of step with Minnesotans who support commonsense protections for women and children, such as parental notification before abortions are performed on minor girls and protection for unborn children late in pregnancy," said Paul Stark, spokesman for Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life. "We will work hard to see that this harmful effort does not succeed."
Minnesota doesn't have any laws on the books ensuring abortion access, but the state Supreme Court ruled in its 1995 Doe v. Gomez decision that the procedure is constitutionally protected, stating that women have a "fundamental right to reach a private decision on whether to obtain an abortion."
DFL leaders and abortion rights advocates said the reversal of Roe in the Dobbs v. Jackson case showed that the state could be a few Supreme Court justices from that access being taken away.
One retiring state representative, Tim Miller, R-Prinsburg, now an employee of PLAM Action, is working on another approach to ending reproductive freedom in Minnesota: local ordinances. Back at the end of August, Bluestem posted Retiring state rep Miller to push unconstitutional local ordinances for new PLAM Action job.
At Willmar Radio, JP Cola reported Wednesday in Prinsburg City Council hears proposed anti-abortion ordinance:
Outgoing State Representative Tim Miller, who is also with the group PLAM Action, presented a “Life City” ordinance proposal to the Prinsburg City Council Tuesday. Miller says a “Life City” ordinance would allow a person or organization to sue an abortion provider in civil court if an abortion occurred in the city...
...Miller says the mother and father of the unborn child would not be subject to a lawsuit and neither would The City of Prinsburg. Miller says the city council heard the first reading of the ordinance Tuesday, and a public hearing will be scheduled in the future...
The State of Minnesota currently has no restrictions or regulations on abortion through live birth because of two Minnesota Court Decisions. It is believed the now DFL-controlled legislature will put the right to have an abortion into state law. Miller says if they do so, they would also have to pass a pre-emption which means no city in the state can have a law on the books that goes against the state law.
PLAM Action is a sister organization of Pro-Life Action Ministries of St. Paul
Go listen to the radio clips at Willmar Radio.
There's nothing up yet on the website of the small Minnesota city of 561 people west of Minneapolis on Minnesota State Highway 7. Wikipedia notes:
Prinsburg is known as one of Minnesota's most conservative cities.[10] The local school district (Common School District 815[11]) is one of two public school districts in Minnesota that do not operate a public school. There is only a private religious school (Central Minnesota Christian School) in Prinsburg.
Perhaps Miller is wise to start at home.
Miller's heartbeat bill--and new minority leader Demuth's bill
Part of the four-member New House Republican Caucus, Miller regularly posted anti-reproductive right constituent updates and press statements on his official webpage.
Opposition to reproductive rights was one of his signature issues, often drawing on his wife Cherie's story.
Miller's signature bill was a "fetal heartbeat" ban, most recently HF2898, "Abortions prohibited when fetal heartbeat is detected, and civil actions provided." Earlier in the 2022 session, he'd introduced HF0643, "Abortions prohibited when a fetal heartbeat is detected with certain exceptions, and penalties provided." There were other anti-abortion bills on his agenda as well.
With Miller's retirement, the election of Cal Bahr (East Bethel) and Steve Drazkowski (Mazeppa), and Lake Crystal's Jeremy Munson's departure to unsuccessfully run for the open First Congressional District seat, the right renegade caucus is no more.
The regular Minnesota House Republicans remain in the minority, but a fetal heartbeat author has stepped up as minority leader. Session Daily reported on November 11 in Demuth to lead House Republicans in 2023-24 biennium:
In the upcoming 2023-24 biennium, House Republicans will be led by Rep. Lisa Demuth (R-Cold Spring).
Entering her third term, Demuth was elected by fellow caucus members Friday to be the minority leader. A deputy minority leader is to be announced later. . . .
On April 21, 2022, Demuth introduced HF0262, "Abortions prohibited when a fetal heartbeat is detected with certain exceptions, and penalties provided."
Moreover, on the Legislative News and Views page on her official webpage, Demuth shared Miller's reaction to Ramsey County Judge Thomas Gilligan's decision on July 11:
Press Release: MILLER RESPONDS TO RULING IN ABORTION CASE
Monday, July 11, 2022St. Paul – Today, Ramsey County Judge Thomas Gilligan issued a district court ruling which struck down longstanding pro-life law in Minnesota. The court’s decision blocked state statutes requiring a 24-hour waiting period, two-parent notification for minors, and felony penalties for abortion providers that violate state regulations.
State Representative Tim Miller (R-Prinsburg) released the following statement regarding this case:
“Judge Gilligan’s decision is reckless, immoral, and destructive. This ruling is proof that the abortion industry is not about safe or fewer abortions; their goal is more abortions. They kill for profit and call it ‘healthcare.’
We need to ask ourselves, where was the consideration for the unborn child in this ruling? Furthermore, do we really want one person deciding abortion laws like this? I am going to speak for the children who have no voice. I am going to speak for the mothers who have been deceived by monsters.
Minnesota is moving on a fast track to be a national abortion hub. I will not allow that to happen. This should be a wakeup call for everyone that believes an unborn child is human and deserves to be treated as one. I hope you join me.”
Rep. Tim Miller represents District 17A in the Minnesota House of Representatives.
However Demuth and Miller may have disagreed about leadership and caucusing, they don't appear to disagree much about restricting women's rights to privacy and bodily autonomy.
Related posts
- Retiring state rep Miller to push unconstitutional local ordinances for new PLAM Action job.
- Tall grass prairie? State representative Tim Miller goes to Moorhead for grassroots organizing
- Retiring Rep. Tim Miller will work for Brian Gibson at Pro-Life Action Ministries sister group
- We won't have Tim Miller to kick around anymore--at least as a MN House member
- New House Republican Tim Miller shares unique understanding of gas tax in legislative update
- State rep Tim Miller: MN state public officials beholden to radical anti-livestock enviro groups
Screengrab: A Tim Miller Facebook post in 2014. Perhaps those lawn ornament voters are what Stop the Steal folks mean when they talk about fraud in elections.
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