Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan tells those seeking abortions "you are welcome here"
BLOOMINGTON, Minn. — As Iowa prepares to enact one of the nation's strictest abortion laws, elected officials in Minnesota are ensuring out of state abortion seekers they are welcome to visit and access services.
On Monday, Iowa will enact its ban on most abortions beyond six weeks, before many women know they are pregnant.
On Thursday, Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan and Bloomington Mayor Tim Busse toured abortion provider Whole Women's Health Alliance in Bloomington.
"I'm really honored to be here," Flanagan said after she and others toured the facility. "Sometimes the stigma that is attached to abortion care is just because people don't know what happens."
The Bloomington clinic provides abortions up to 20 weeks, but Founder and CEO Amy Hagstrom Miller says the hope is to expand to 24 weeks.
"One of the cool things about abortion is we get to sit with someone as they choose the course for their lives," Hagstrom Miller said. "Abortion is a solution to an unplanned pregnancy, and unplanned pregnancy really shines a bright light on people's lives. It has them examine their hopes and their dreams for their future."
A new study from the Guttmacher Institute estimates that 1 in 4 American women will have an abortion by age 45 if the current rate remains constant.
Hagstrom Miller told media Thursday there is a higher demand for abortion services than ever before. As neighboring states restrict abortion services further, nearly 1 in 5 people getting an abortion at Whole Women's Health Alliance are coming from out of state.
"Let me just be clear. For our friends in Iowa, you are welcome here," Flanagan said. "There are people who will provide care for you, and we are good neighbors here in Minnesota. So, if you're afraid, come to Minnesota, we've got you."
In 2022, a court ruling overturned Minnesota's restrictions on abortion services, eliminating a mandatory 24-hour waiting period and the requirement to notify parents of minors seeking an abortion.
This is frustrating to pro-life advocates like Cathy Blaeser, the co-executive director of the Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life.
"They want reasonable abortion policy that actually provides support and options for women and their unborn child," Blaeser said. "Some Minnesotans don't want our state to be known as an abortion tourism spot, that's not the tourism that Minnesotans are looking for."