Minnesota Senate Passes Controversial Bills on Gender Care, Abortion, and Conversion Therapy, Drawing Criticism from Conservatives
Written by: Howard Beale
The Minnesota Senate has become the latest battleground in the culture wars, with the passage of three radical bills that have sparked outrage among conservatives.
The Democratic-controlled Senate approved measures to make Minnesota a “sanctuary for youth seeking gender-affirming care,” out-of-state abortion patients and providers, and to ban so-called conversion therapy for LGBTQ+ youth. These bills, which mirror progressive policies in states like Colorado, have raised concerns among parents, educators and conservatives about the radical agenda being pursued by progressive Democrats.
The conversion therapy ban, which passed with a vote of 36-27, received support from two Republicans. The abortion refuge bill and the trans refuge bill both passed on party-line votes of 34-29 and 34-30, respectively. The conversion therapy ban and trans refuge bills will now head to Democratic Governor Tim Walz for his signature, while the abortion bill will be returned to the House for further consideration.
Supporters of the bills argue that they send a message of safety and inclusivity to Minnesotans and individuals seeking refuge from other states with restrictive laws. An argument that was also made to pass similar radical bills in Colorado.
Democrat Senator Kelly Morrison, the author of Minnesota’s abortion bill, stated that these measures assure people that “they are safe in Minnesota and welcome in the state.”
Governor Walz has already signed executive orders to protect individuals seeking gender-affirming care and to ban conversion therapy, but these bills aim to solidify these protections into law.
The abortion bill specifically aims to shield individuals who come to Minnesota for abortions from legal repercussions in states where the procedure is heavily restricted or banned. It would prevent Minnesota courts from enforcing out-of-state subpoenas for medical records or judgments against patients or providers.
Critics argue that this bill interferes with states' rights and undermines the sanctity of life.
Opponents of the conversion therapy ban raise concerns about religious freedom and the ability of families to seek counseling for children questioning their sexual identities. They argue that banning conversion therapy limits individuals' access to therapies that could help them navigate their sexual orientations and gender identities.
In a recent controversy, Democratic Senator Erin Maye Quade filed an ethics complaint against Republican Senator Glenn Gruenhagen over an emailed video that she deemed "wildly inappropriate."
The video allegedly depicted "mutilating transgender surgeries on minor children." However, Gruenhagen clarified that the video was actually a tutorial created by doctors at the University of Louisville for gynecologists to familiarize themselves with gender transition surgery. The age of the patient in the video was not disclosed.
WATCH: Minnesota State Senator Erin Maye Quade (D) says teaching kids about abstinence is wrong because "it's weird when adults tell children when they should be having sex, no matter when that is."
Critics argue that these bills reveal a radical obsession with sex among Minnesota Democrats. They highlight Maye Quade's comments in a committee hearing, where she expressed her opposition to abstinence-based sex education, calling it "weird" for adults to tell children when they should be having sex.
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