The future of abortion access in Minnesota

11/29/21 • 48 min

The landmark 1973 U.S. Supreme Court case known as Roe v. Wade is cited as having made abortion legal in America. And while that’s true, what the decision says is that no state may make laws regulating abortion during the first three months of pregnancy — except to provide that they be done by licensed physicians.

The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday will hear a case involving Mississippi’s law that bans most abortions after 15 weeks. Because the makeup of America's high court has changed since both the 1973 decision and other challenges, legal experts and court watchers expect Wednesday’s case could lead to the overturning of Roe v. Wade.

What will this mean for Minnesota? What is our current state law governing abortion? How did we get to where we are, and what might happen if Roe v. Wade is overturned?

Ahead of the court’s hearing of the Mississippi case, MPR News guest host Chris Farrell spoke with three law professors about the current landscape of abortion rights and access in Minnesota and how that landscape could change.

This show is not about the right or wrong of abortion. It’s about the future of abortion in Minnesota.

Guests:

Mary Ziegler is the Stearns Weaver Miller Professor at Florida State University and the author of “Abortion and the Law in America: Roe v. Wade to the Present.”
Laura Hermer is a law professor at Mitchell Hamline School of Law in St. Paul and the author of the recent article, “Covid-19, Abortion, and Public Health in the Culture Wars.”
Jill Hasday is a professor of constitutional law, family law and legal history at the University of Minnesota Law School and the author of two books: “Family Law Reimagined” and “Intimate Lies and the Law.”

Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.

Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.

What will this mean for Minnesota? What is our current state law governing abortion? How did we get to where we are, and what might happen if Roe v. Wade is overturned?

This show is not about the right or wrong of abortion. It’s about the future of abortion in Minnesota.

Guests:

Mary Ziegler is the Stearns Weaver Miller Professor at Florida State University and the author of “Abortion and the Law in America: Roe v. Wade to the Present.”
Laura Hermer is a law professor at Mitchell Hamline School of Law in St. Paul and the author of the recent article, “Covid-19, Abortion, and Public Health in the Culture Wars.”
Jill Hasday is a professor of constitutional law, family law and legal history at the University of Minnesota Law School and the author of two books: “Family Law Reimagined” and “Intimate Lies and the Law.”

Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.

Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.

Previous Episode

Homemade and heartfelt gifts cheer both giver and receiver

Handmade gifts come from the heart. If we take time to make something for someone else, there’s love knitted into that scarf and affection baked into every box of cookies.

Making gifts for the holidays is a long tradition for some people. Others are making homemade gifts for the first time, maybe after they discovered a craft or hobby during the pandemic as an antidote to stress and digital fatigue.

MPR News guest host Stephanie Curtis talks with crafters and listeners about why people make gifts and how homemade presents can bring joy to both giver and receiver.

Plus, MPR News senior economics contributor Chris Farrell shares the latest on the economy and Cyber Monday.

Guests:

Ingrid Nyholm-Lange is director of experience at the American Swedish Institute in Minneapolis where she oversees classes in traditional handcrafts. She’s also a paper cut and paper fold artist in the Scandinavian tradition.
Lisa MacMartin is the owner of Heartfelt, a toy and craft shop in Minneapolis that offers craft classes for children and families.
Jess Hirsch is a woodworker and founder of Fireweed Community Woodshop in Minneapolis, which offers space, equipment and instruction for women and nonbinary people interested in woodworking.

Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.

Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.

Next Episode

What we know about the omicron variant

A new variant of the COVID-19 virus has emerged: the omicron variant. On Thursday at 9 a.m., MPR News guest host Catherine Richert talks with infectious disease specialists about what we know about the variant, what we don’t know and what it means at this stage in the pandemic.