[ST. PAUL, MN] — Following the leak of a draft opinion from the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, Governor Tim Walz /governor/assets/Women%E2%80%99s%20Health%20Protection%20Act%20Letter_tcm1055-527128.pdfjoined 16 governors to call on the United States Senate to make legal protections in Roe v. Wade into law.

“Let me be clear: there will never be an abortion ban in Minnesota under my watch. The right to an abortion will be respected in our state as long as I am in office,” said Governor Walz. “However, we must act at the state and federal level to protect access to safe, legal abortion permanently. I was proud to join governors to call on Congress to immediately put protections offered by Roe v. Wade – protections Americans have relied on for almost half a century – into federal law. This is just the beginning, and I will keep fighting to ensure Minnesotans continue to have full access to reproductive health care.”

On Sept. 24, 2021, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Women’s Health Protection Act (H.R. 3755 and S. 1975). The U.S. Senate has announced they will hold a vote on legislation to codify the right to an abortion in law. Governor Walz and 17 other governors signed a letter calling for members of the Senate from both parties to pass this measure and for Congress to immediately take other steps needed to codify the protections in Roe v. Wade.