Minnesota Governor Signs Bill to Allocate State Funding for Adoption, Other Abortion Alternatives

Main Category: Abortion
Article Date: 31 May 2005 - 0:00 PDT

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Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty (R) on Monday signed into law a bill... (SF 917) that authorizes $5 million over two years for not-for-profit groups that discourage abortion, encourage adoption, and provide prenatal counseling and other health care services for pregnant women, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports (Hopfensperger, Minneapolis Star Tribune, 5/24). The law establishes a "positive alternatives" program and requires the state Department of Health to launch a public information campaign about fetal development, alternatives to abortion and other services for pregnant women. Pawlenty in January announced his support for the legislation, and Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life in December 2004 announced the measure as part of its 2005 legislative agenda. The original version of the bill would have denied funding to any state group that provides abortion information to pregnant women. However, lawmakers amended the measure to allow state funding for organizations that mention abortion as an option but do not encourage abortion or arrange for abortion services. The state Senate Health and Family Security Committee also added an amendment to ensure that patients receive equal privacy protections at pregnancy centers as they would in other medical settings (Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, 5/11). In addition, the law prohibits funding from going to organizations that give "inaccurate medical information," the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports (Stassen-Berger, St. Paul Pioneer Press, 5/24). "Any time we can work together to promote positive alternatives to abortion, that's a good thing," Pawlenty said, adding, "My hat is off to MCCL and the others who believed this was a good way to help women" (Minneapolis Star Tribune, 5/24).

"Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork.org kaisernetwork.org. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/repro The Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.

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