Amid a rush of legislation restricting abortion and gender-affirming care primarily in Republican states, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) signed three bills into law Thursday that make his state a Midwestern sanctuary state for gender-affirming health care and abortion, meaning people who travel to Minnesota for that care are safe from repercussions from other states attempting to prevent the care.
Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Democratic legislative leaders announce an agreement at the ... [+]
Two of the laws signed Friday work to both protect peoples’ right to reproductive care and gender-affirming care and limit the amount of information regarding those treatments that can be requested by other states in an attempt to stop the care.
The third law prohibits conversion therapy for children and vulnerable adults and the misrepresentation of conversion therapy services; the bill makes Minnesota the 21st state, plus Washington, D.C., that has banned conversion therapy, according to the Movement Advancement Project.
Minnesota borders at least one state that has outlawed gender-affirming care for minors and one that has banned abortions, making the new laws even more crucial for people in surrounding states who want legal, safe care.
As the future of reproductive rights in America remains fuzzy as states work to enforce – or challenge – the overturning of Roe V. Wade, The Hill reported that 13 states have passed laws or policies that ban abortion in nearly all situations, all but two of which are Republican led. Last year, under Walz, Minnesota was the first state to codify abortion using legislative action after Roe was overturned. Health care for transgender and non-binary people is also a hot topic in legislatures across the country as 16 states have passed laws or policies banning gender-affirming care for transgender youth, according to the Movement Advancement Project, including three of Minnesota’s neighboring states: Iowa, North Dakota and South Dakota. In North Dakota, providing that kind of care is a felony crime. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, there are 469 anti-LGBTQ bills introduced across the country this year.
“Minnesota says welcome to a state that values you for who you are and protects you for who you are,” Walz said at the bill signing Thursday. “ … No child will be subjected to this outdated, byzantine and cruel practice of conversion therapy.”
Minnesota governor signs broad abortion rights bill into law (AP)
North Dakota Governor Signs Legislation Banning Nearly All Abortions (Forbes)