Minnesota Sen. Matt Klein voted against every amendment to the Protect Reproductive Options (PRO) Act despite telling a constituent he would “work to ensure we safeguard against” late-term elective abortions.
The PRO Act was signed into law Tuesday by Gov. Tim Walz. It protects the right of “every individual,” including minors, to access “reproductive health care” services, including abortion, contraception and sterilization. With no explicit guardrails, the one-page bill will allow for abortions at any stage of pregnancy, legislative Republicans argued.
Because of this, one of Klein’s constituents urged him to vote against “abortions on demand for any reason using our tax dollars.”
“The bill does not speak to allowing abortions in the third trimester, an exceptionally rare occurrence in the state of Minnesota which occurs only in dire circumstances. I do not personally support late-term elective abortion and will work to ensure we safeguard against that practice,” Klein responded, according to an email obtained by Alpha News.
All Senate Democrats, including Sen. Klein, voted against every single one of the amendments to the PRO Act offered by Republicans. The dozens of amendments sought to place some “common-sense” restrictions on abortion, such as a ban on elective abortions after 32 or 36 weeks of pregnancy.
Klein, a doctor, said in his email that the PRO Act was “designed to protect access to reproductive healthcare for Minnesotans.” He did not respond to a request for comment regarding his position on late-term abortion.
State Rep. Jim Nash called the bill the most extreme abortion bill in the country.
“Almost every country allows abortion for the health of the mother, rape, incest, among other reasons. When it comes to elective abortions, they place guardrails. Sweden limits elective abortions after 18 weeks; France after 16 weeks; Germany after 14 weeks; Norway, Ireland, and Switzerland after 12 weeks. China has no limits. The bill in front of us this morning has more in common with the totalitarian regime of communist China than other western democracies,” Republican Sen. Eric Pratt said at the conclusion of a 15-hour debate on the bill.
After Roe v. Wade was overturned, a Ramsey County judge determined that several of Minnesota’s regulations on abortion were unconstitutional, including a parental notification requirement. That ruling is currently under appeal.
Democrats are planning on removing any remaining regulations on the abortion industry with a second bill, HF 91/SF70. This bill would remove standing requirements for medical protections for infants who survive botched abortions as well as a ban on using public funds for the procedure under MinnesotaCare.
Hayley Feland
Hayley Feland previously worked as a journalist with The Minnesota Sun, The Wisconsin Daily Star, and The College Fix. She is a Minnesota native with a passion for politics and journalism.
