Rep. Carlie Kotyza-Witthuhn has been called a “champion” for children. A remarkable claim considering her first order of legislative business in 2023 was sponsoring HF1 (the PRO Act) — the most radical pro-abortion law in the country.
Her bill enshrined elective abortions as a “fundamental right” with no gestational limits. Her DFL majority additionally voted down dozens of reasonable Republican amendments to HF1, such as a partial-birth abortion ban (where babies are torn apart in the womb), third-trimester and 36-week abortion bans, and requiring pain meds for older babies. They even voted against requiring abortion facilities to be licensed.
HF1 shifted the “gray” area surrounding when elective abortions are considered too late in Minnesota by making them “legal” at any gestational age.
In direct opposition to federal law, the DFL majority removed language in Subdivision 1 of the MN Born Alive Act which required life-saving care for babies who survive abortions.
By striking the words “as a result of an abortion” and “to preserve the life and health of the infant,” care no longer means what normal people would expect. MN law no longer requires lifesaving care for ANY born alive infant.
They also removed requiring abortion facilities to report annually to the Legislature how many infants survive abortions and if they receive care. In 2021 alone, 5 infants survived abortions.
Tragically, it IS “legal” in MN to let living babies die, and the DFL has ensured that Minnesotans will no longer know how often this happens. Reasonable people recognize this as infanticide.
Starkly contrasting a medical industry committed to saving wanted prematurely born babies, there is a different industry in MN enjoying legal coverage from the DFL to end the lives of unwanted babies for any reason at any time.
If Rep. Kotyza-Witthuhn, former state Sen. Kelly Morrison and the rest of the DFL are really “champions” of children, why don’t they protect the unborn?
Instead of supporting pro-life organizations, adoption, and other life-giving supports for women who decide against abortion, they repealed Minnesota’s Positive Alternatives Act, which offered such things, too.
Her legislative actions demonstrate she is no champion for all children.
Bonnie Gasper, Eden Prairie
Editor’s note: Bonnie Gasper is a board member of the Child Protection League. She wrote this on behalf of that organization.
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