February 7, 2023
As a pro-life activist in the Twin Cities area, Carrena Falls demonstrated against legislation that unfortunately passed in the Minnesota State House and Senate. The Protect Reproductive Options (PRO) Act in Minnesota codifies abortion in the state’s constitution through all nine months of pregnancy for women of all ages. Horrifically, this bill includes minors without parental consent or notification.
Carrena Falls
As a Students for Life of America (SFLA) Wilberforce Fellow alum, current SFLA Hildegard Art Fellow, and president of Eagles for Life at the University of Northwestern St. Paul, Falls commented on the recent abortion bill signed into law in her state:
“It is a dark, dark age in Minnesota. On January 31, 2023, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz signed into law the most appalling abortion bill imaginable — the Protect Reproductive Options (PRO) Act. Among other deceptively disguised ‘reproductive rights’ legislation, this bill cemented abortion into law through all nine months of pregnancy with zero restrictions.
“To put it plainly, this is as extreme as an abortion bill can get. Pro-abortion legislators shot down amendment after amendment (more than 60) of common sense restrictions including:
- Requiring licensure of abortion facilities
- Prohibiting abortions from being performed in unsanitary conditions
- Parental consent for abortions for girls under 18
- Protections for vulnerable adult women seeking abortions
- Prohibiting abortions based on sex
- Prohibiting abortions based on race
- Prohibiting abortions based on Down Syndrome diagnoses
- Prohibiting abortions when a woman is in active labor
“These #TooExtreme4Me politicians have made it clear that their priorities are abortion, abortion, and abortion. No longer can they claim to care about the lives and rights of pregnant women when they unanimously rejected measures requiring basic safety standards for abortion facilities.
“Minnesota already has a history of keeping a hands-off approach when it comes to health and safety standards regarding abortion facilities, and thanks to the PRO Act, that’s clearly not changing anytime soon. No longer can they pretend to stand for the well-being of girls while rejecting parental permission abortion requirements for minors.
“The Members who voted for this bill have no right to claim to fight for women’s rights while endorsing reckless legislation devoid of protections for vulnerable women seeking abortions. Rather, they supported legislation that makes it easier for abusers to force abortions on their victims and conceal their crimes.
“Lawmakers cannot pretend to stand for the marginalized while advocating for the slaughter of innocent human beings simply because of their supposed inconvenience, sex, race, or disability. They cannot boast about representing the people while praising abortion through all nine months of pregnancy when polls show that 80 to 90% of Americans oppose abortion-on-demand.
“Governor Walz seems to be championing the signing of this bill as a symbol of democracy, even though pre-election, he branded himself as an abortion moderate. What’s moderate about abortion, though after all?
“When candidate Scott Jensen accused Walz of supporting abortion through birth, Walz’s campaign manager, Nicole Johnson reacted by saying, “Jensen is lying about this issue to distract from his unpopular plan to ban abortion outright.” Once pro-abortion Democrats were given control of the House, Senate, and Governor’s office, their swift priority was forcing pro-abortion policy into the Minnesota legislature with the PRO Act being first in line.
“It is no secret that the goal of Walz and Minnesota’s abortion-extremist lawmakers is to make our state into the abortion capital of the Midwest, but we won’t stand by to watch that happen.
“Governor Walz, I have a message for you. The Pro-Life Generation is alive and well in Minnesota, and we aren’t giving up anytime soon.”