Minn. House passes new limits on abortion

Published 12:43 pm Saturday, May 7, 2011

ST. PAUL — The Minnesota House has passed new restrictions on abortion but fell short of the votes needed to override a likely veto by abortion rights supporter Gov. Mark Dayton.

The bills passed Friday after several hours of debate that grew emotional and graphic at times. One of the bills would prohibit abortions starting at 20 weeks after conception unless it would save the woman’s life or prevent lasting physical impairment. A woman is usually considered about 22 weeks pregnant at that point under the common method of measuring the length of pregnancy.

That legislation passed by a vote of 82-46.

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A separate bill to ban public funding of abortions passed 80-44. It takes 90 votes in the House to override a veto by the governor.