Opponents of abortion rights gather at Minnesota State Capitol for March for Life
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Monday is the 51st anniversary of the now-overturned Roe V. Wade decision.
The 1973 U.S. Supreme Court ruling determined the U.S. Constitution guaranteed a right for a woman to have an abortion.
On Monday, abortion opponents held a "March for Life" rally at the Minnesota State Capitol.
READ MORE: Gov. Walz open to constitutional amendment protecting abortion rights on November's ballot
They say since the overturning of Roe a year and a half ago, Minnesota has become a mecca for those seeking abortions, and that restrictions need to be tightened.
"These laws are not reasonable and they do not reflect what Minnesotans want for our state," said Cathy Blaser, co-executive director of Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life (MCCL).
Since Roe was overturned, Planned Parenthood says there has been a 25% increase in the number of abortions in Minnesota, and a 100% increase in the number of people traveling to Minnesota from other states from as far away as Texas.
The latest state figures show in 2020, 18 people came to Minnesota from Texas for abortions. In 2022, that number jumped to 150. Most of those coming from out of state need financial help to travel to Minnesota.
"Eighty percent of these individuals that we've helped to get to their appointments would not have been able to do it without our support," said Ruth Richardson, president of Planned Parenthood North Central States.
Minnesota's surrounding states have either bans on abortions or restrictions that could soon become a lot tougher. And that's why the numbers are up from those states, too.
"We see situations where people's lives are in danger, and so for our staff it's really important that we are there to really be whatever they need," Richardson said.
Several state lawmakers were scheduled to attend the event as abortion is once again expected to come up this legislative session which starts Feb. 12.
Abortion rights in Minnesota
The upcoming session will likely see an attempt to pass a constitutional amendment to protect abortion rights in Minnesota.
A standalone amendment could be on the November 2024 ballot, or protections could be wrapped up into a larger Equal Rights Amendment.
In the past year, Minnesota has established additional protections for abortion access. Gov. Tim Walz signed the PRO Act at the beginning of 2023. That stands for Protect Reproductive Options, an act not just for abortion but also contraception, fertility treatments, sterilizations and other reproductive health care.
Walz recently said he was open to putting a constitutional amendment on the November ballot.
