January 19, 2023
A pair of bills related to abortion access are moving fast in St. Paul. The most notable of which, HF1 (Kotyza-Witthuhn, DFL – Eden Prairie), or the Protect Reproductive Options (PRO) Act,is expected to pass the House floor today (January 19). The bill would codify the right to reproductive freedom and autonomous decisions about an individual's own reproductive health, and it outlines the fundamental right to use or refuse reproductive health care, including abortion.
Another bill, HF 91 (Liebling, DFL – Rochester) would repeal existing statutes that obstruct access to abortion services. Many of these statutes have already been ruled unconstitutional, but remain on the books in Minnesota. Statutes the bill would repeal include:
Criminal penalties for physicians who perform induced abortions without first disclosing anesthetic or analgesic options to alleviate pain of the fetus.
Informed consent waiting periods for abortions.
Data reporting requirements for abortions.
Statutory definitions of “family planning” which preclude organizations that provide abortion counseling, referrals, and procedures from applying to family planning grants.
State-based laws that restrict access to abortion by minors through mandatory parental notification.
The MMA shared a letter of support for the bill, stating “all healthcare decisions, including whether or not to have an abortion, are deeply personal and should be made between a patient and their healthcare professional. Access to safe healthcare options, such as abortion, should not be obstructed.” HF 91 passed out of the Health Finance and Policy Committee on January 12.
The bill is also moving in the Minnesota Senate, where SF 70 (Maye Quade, DFL – Apple Valley) has already received its first committee hearing.
August 20, 2026
A physician and Olympian will give an inspirational address as part of this year's Empowering Physicians event on Friday, September 25, at the Minneapolis Institute of Art.
August 20, 2026
Minnesota received some disturbing news this week from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as data shows that for the 2025-2026 school year, vaccination rates decreased and non-medical exemptions increased.
August 20, 2026
On August 11, a federal appellate court sided with the Texas Medical Association (TMA) argument that the way the No Surprises Act’s qualifying payment amount (QPA) is calculated has historically favored payers in arbitration.