ST. PAUL — Gov. Mark Dayton on May 16 vetoed the mainstream pro-life measure that would ensure pregnant women access to their ultrasounds prior to an abortion. Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life (MCCL), the state’s oldest and largest pro-life organization, is deeply disappointed with the governor’s action.
“Once again Gov. Dayton has yielded to the extremes of the abortion industry, which actually lobbied against informed consent for women,” said MCCL Legislative Director Andrea Rau. “With this veto of the ultrasound bill, the governor has demonstrated profound disregard for the rights of Minnesota’s women.”
SF 2849, authored by Sen. Michelle Benson (R., Ham Lake) and Rep. Abigail Whelan (R., Ramsey), would simply allow women to view their ultrasound prior to an abortion, if an ultrasound is performed. The legislation would require the physician or person performing the procedure to offer the woman the opportunity to view her ultrasound as it is being done, ensuring her the choice of whether or not to view the image. The measure earned bipartisan support in both chambers.
Even though most abortion facilities perform an ultrasound prior to an abortion to determine the development and location of the unborn child and the appropriate abortion method, they typically do not offer women the chance to see the ultrasound.
SF 2849 would have provided women with factual medical information prior to an abortion. The bill would have added a paragraph to the state’s existing Woman’s Right to Know informed consent law.
“This legislation should not be controversial — it was about basic informed consent for women,” Rau said.
Gov. Dayton has vetoed numerous pro-life bills approved by the legislature over the last eight years. The Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, a ban on taxpayer funding of abortion, abortion facility licensure, a ban on dangerous “webcam abortions,” and bans on human cloning and taxpayer funding of human cloning were all vetoed by pro-abortion Gov. Dayton, who will not run for reelection this year.
“This governor has been no friend to pro-life legislation,” Rau said. “Minnesotans are weary of his repeated rejection of life-affirming initiatives. It is time for a state executive who will act to protect all of our citizens, including unborn children.”
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