Positive Alternatives Is Now Law
By Bill Poehler, MCCL Communications Associate

   The Positive Alternatives Act, Minnesota’s first measure to assist pregnant women who don’t want to abort their unborn babies, was signed into law by pro-life Gov. Tim Pawlenty Monday, May 23. Pro-life legislators and citizens partnered in an extraordinary effort to pass the bill this session.

   “MCCL is thrilled to have helped bring legislators from both parties together to provide practical assistance to women facing unexpected pregnancies,” said Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life (MCCL) Legislative Associate Andrea Rau. “Positive Alternatives is for women, who now will draw on extensive resources to succeed in pregnancy and childbirth.”

   Pro-life Gov. Pawlenty has been a strong supporter of Positive Alternatives from the first time he was briefed on the bill. He included funding for the measure in his budget. He asked the thousands of pro-lifers at the January 2005 MCCL March for Life for their help to pass the measure. Pawlenty reiterated those words when he spoke at MCCL’s 2005 Student Day at the Capitol and Woman’s Day on the Hill.

   “I want to thank the advocates and authors and champions of the Positive Alternatives Act,” Gov. Pawlenty said at the bill signing. “Anytime we can work together to promote positive alternatives to abortion, that’s a good thing. My hat is off to MCCL and the others who believed this was a good way to help women.”

   Gov. Pawlenty’s comments were echoed by Speaker of the House Steve Sviggum, who was instrumental in the bill’s passage.

   “This is going to help a lot of women give birth to their children,” added bill author Sen. Dallas Sams.

Support Grew

   Announced in December, Positive Alternatives was introduced at the State Capitol in February with an unprecedented achievement for a state pro-life bill’s first introduction: majority co-sponsorship in both the House and Senate.

   After two and a half months of hearings in which a few pro-abortion legislators tried to seriously weaken the bill, Positive Alternatives passed with large margins in both houses: 112–17 in the House and 53–11 in the Senate. A conference committee of House and Senate members agreed on the final version of the bill, which both chambers passed.

   To their credit, state lawmakers did the right thing and committed $2.5 million per year to fund programs that already provide assistance and referrals for nutrition services, medical attention, education assistance, parent training, and other services to pregnant women. Grants will be awarded early next year to pregnancy care centers, adoption agencies, and maternity homes. No eligible organization may provide, promote, or refer for abortion.