ST. PAUL — House Republicans spent Thursday's floor session — the last one with their 67-66 majority — pushing bills that would fund crisis pregnancy centers and ensure care for infants born alive after a failed abortion.
The “Supporting Women Act,” , establishes a grant program for crisis pregnancy centers and maternity homes. The “Born Alive Act,” , amends Minnesota law to require doctors to save the life of an infant born alive “as a result of an abortion.”
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The emotional and lengthy floor debates Thursday, March 13, ended with both bills voted down on 67-66 party-line votes, failing to get the single Democrat vote necessary to reach 68 votes and pass.
“This is not about partisanship,” Rep. Krista Knudsen, R-Lake Shore, said on the floor. “It's about whether we will protect the most vulnerable among us, newborn babies; regardless of how they come into this world, this bill ensures that any infant born alive, including after a failed abortion, is given the same medical care and intervention that any other newborn would receive."
Democrats on the floor argued that the hypothetical instances of infants born as a result of an abortion do not happen and said this bill will complicate medical proceedings.
“As a reminder, infanticide is illegal and doctors already have an obligation to provide appropriate medical care under all circumstances,” said Rep. Carlie Kotyza-Witthuhn, DFL-Eden Praire. “The language in this bill is a misrepresentation of medical care and will complicate neonatal and postpartum care and bonding time. In the heartbreaking circumstance where a child is to be born incompatible with life, parents are faced with an impossible choice.”
There was one third-term abortion in the state of Minnesota in 2023, according to a Minnesota Department of Health
“We've heard that 'This doesn't happen. This doesn't happen,' ” Knudsen said. “Well, if that's true … if this doesn't happen, let's just make sure that it can't happen.”
'Supporting Women Act'
The author of the Supporting Women Act bill (HF25), Rep. Natalie Zeleznikar, R-Fredenberg Township, said on the floor Thursday that the bill is in response to of the Positive Alternatives Grant Program, which passed within an omnibus health bill that repealed restrictive abortion laws.
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"In 2023, House Democrats had the majority and chose to end two long-standing options for women, two options. What are they? Pregnancy resource centers and maternity homes," she said. "Let's go back to offering three options for true choice, like legislators before us did in a bipartisan manner; women deserve to have three choices."
The bill would create a grant program to support pregnancy resource centers and maternity homes. Democrats on the floor Thursday argued that these centers are not regulated and are deceitful.
"Crisis pregnancy centers are organizations that seek to intercept women with unintended pregnancies who might be considering an abortion and prevent those people from accessing contraception," said Rep. Athena Hollins, DFL-St. Paul. "The ideology of these centers, owners and employees take priority over the health and well-being of women seeking care at these centers; women do not receive comprehensive, accurate, evidence-based clinical information about all the available options."
The bills drew about 20 protesters outside the House Chamber before the floor debate Thursday.
The House will return to tie on Monday, March 17, after DFL candidate David Gottfried won Tuesday's special election for District 40B. The House was previously engaged in a tie following the November election. As outlined by a power-sharing agreement reached on Feb. 6, Lisa Demuth, R-Cold Spring, will remain speaker of the House but committees will revert to having co-chairs instead of all Republican chairs.
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