What is the future of abortion rights in Minnesota?
MINNEAPOLIS -- Planned Parenthood North Central States is expecting a surge of patients from around the region coming to Minnesota for abortion services.
Minnesota is now an island surrounded by states that have either stopped doing abortions or are planning on stopping. Wisconsin has reverted back to an 1849 law banning abortions. As a result all abortions have been halted there, too.
Gov. Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison are promising to protect anyone coming to Minnesota to get an abortion both from harm and from being charged with a crime.
Both sides agree the legality of abortion in Minnesota could change. Abortion opponents are vowing to to flip the Minnesota Democratic House to the GOP in the November election. They will also work to defeat Walz, who even if the legislature does become all Republican, could veto any abortion ban or restrictions.
On WCCO Sunday Morning, Esme Murphy spoke with both the CEO of Planned Parenthood and the executive director of Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life.
"The abortion rights in Minnesota are only safe in Minnesota as long as we have a governor such as Tim Walz and a legislature that will protect abortion rights, so this election is more important than ever," Planned Parenthood CEO Sarah Stoesz said.
"We've got to get to the November elections and let's have this discussion, let's actually talk about what we actually want the abortion laws to be in Minnesota, because that big road block, Roe vs. Wade, is now gone," Scott Fischbach of Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Live said.
Walz's Republican opponent, Dr. Scott Jensen, is an abortion opponent who believes there should be no exception for rape or incest, that the only abortion exception is to save the mother's Life. Walz and Ellison are also promising to protect any Minnesotan who helps someone get an abortion here from being charged in another state.
You can watch WCCO Sunday Morning every Sunday at 6, 7 and 10:30 a.m. every Sunday.