Wardlow Casts Support Behind Proposed Abortion Regulations

District 38B Rep. Doug Wardlow (R) is among of group of Minnesota legislators seeking to increase restrictions on and oversight of clinics and doctors that perform abortions in Minnesota.

The representative is listed as a co-author on three recently proposed abortion-related bills, two of which were introduced in the House on Friday. See below for an overview of all three bills:

• Facilities that perform 10 or more surgical or nonsurgical abortions each month would be required to obtain a license from the commissioner of health, according a new bill introduced by District 36A Rep. Mary Holberg (R). The proposed legislation was introduced on Feb. 16 and referred to the House Health and Human Services Reform Committee. Under the tenants of the bill, the health commissioner would also be responsible for setting the licensure rules and requirements and would have the power to conduct surprise inspections and investigations of clinics performing abortions.

• Wardlow is also listed as a co-author on a second proposed bill, HF 2103, that would outlaw abortions when doctors can detect the fetal heartbeat of the unborn child—except in the case of a medical emergency that threatens the health or life of the mother. If a doctor carries out an abortion despite the presence of a fetal heartbeat, the doctor may face felony criminal charges and and a maximum penalty of 12 years in prison and $10,000 in fines. The bill was proposed on Feb. 8 by District 56A Rep. Kathy Lohmer (R), and was also referred to the House Health and Human Services Reform Committee.

• Finally, Wardlow also cast his support behind a bill that would require a physician who prescribed an abortion-inducing drug or chemical to be present when that drug is administered to the patient. Under the legislation, proposed on Feb. 16 by District 32A Rep. Joyce Peppin (R), a doctor who is not present for the chemically-induced abortion could face felony criminal charges. The bill also permits civil action by the patient, the father of the fetus or the maternal grandparents of the unborn child against the physician who prescribed the drugs if he or she is not present for the abortion.