Abortion ultrasound viewing bill headed to House floor

Doctors may be required to ask abortion-seeking patients if they want to view an ultrasound of the fetus.

Rep. Abigail Whelan (R-Ramsey) sponsors HF3194 that she says would empower women to make a more informed decision about whether to have an abortion.

Approved Tuesday by the House Health and Human Services Reform Committee on an 11-7 vote, the bill was sent to the House floor.

Rep. Abigail Whelan

“I do want to be clear, the intent of the bill is not to change minds (about abortion),” Whelan said.

Andrea Rau, legislative director of Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life, voiced support, but Dr. Erin Stevens, representing the Minnesota section of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, spoke against the bill, saying its motive was to interfere with the doctor-patient relationship.

Stevens’ testimony led to a pointed exchange between herself and several Republican legislators.

Rep. Deb Kiel (R-Crookston) said women are being stopped from seeing ultrasounds. Stevens said assuming that physicians had ill-will toward patients and were therefore deliberately withholding information from them was “offensive to the medical community.” 

Several DFL legislators backed Stevens in opposing Whelan’s bill.

Rep. Liz Olson (DFL-Duluth) said the premise of the bill assumed the woman hadn’t already thought carefully about her decision whether to abort.

The companion, SF2849, sponsored by Sen. Michelle Benson (R-Ham Lake), awaits action by the Senate Health and Human Services Finance and Policy Committee.