Minnesota Senate Democrats try to force abortion debate

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The Minnesota Senate Democratic minority has tried unsuccessfully to force consideration of nine abortion and health-related bills that the Republican majority has kept bottled up in committee.

The leak of a draft U.S. Supreme Court opinion that would overrule the landmark Roe v. Wade decision has energized both sides of the abortion debate in Minnesota.

Democrats knew they lacked the votes to prevail Thursday.

But Senate Minority Leader Melisa López Franzen says her fellow Democrats wanted to send a message to Minnesotans.

She says they’ll fight to protect privacy and reproductive rights, including the right to abortion, while Republicans won’t.