Minn. House Backs Abortion Clinic Licensing, Fee
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The Minnesota House has voted to require clinics that perform abortions to pay new yearly license fees and undergo special inspections.
The House backed the provision Monday as an amendment to a larger health and human services budget. The vote was 71-62.
Democrats have a majority in the House, but a handful of House Democrats join the chamber's Republicans in opposition to legal abortion. The provision was sponsored by DFL Rep. John Ward of Brainerd.
Facilities that perform more than 10 abortions a month would have to pay a $3,700 annual license fee and undergo twice-yearly Department of Health inspections. In 2012, the Legislature under Republican control passed an identical requirement, but Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton vetoed it.
The provision is likely to face trouble in the state Senate where fewer majority Democrats oppose legal abortion.
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