"March of Life" rally held at Minnesota State Capitol

Today is the 54th anniversary of the now overturned Roe v. Wade decision. That 1973 Supreme Court ruling determined the U.S. Constitution guaranteed a right for a woman to have an abortion. Today, abortion opponents held a rally at the Capitol. They say since the overturning of Roe v. Wade a year and a half ago, Minnesota has become a mecca for those seeking abortions, and that restrictions need to be tightened, as May Murphy reports on the ongoing battle over abortion rights, and how it's expected to play a big role in the 2024 elections. We need to be out in every community. At the March for Life rally at the Capitol, abortion opponents denounced the laws passed last year by the legislature protecting abortion rights. These laws are not reasonable, and they do not reflect what Minnesotans want for our state. Since Roe was overturned, Planned Parenthood says there has been a 25% increase in the number of abortions in Minnesota, and a 100% increase in the number of people traveling here from other states, from as far away as Texas. The latest state figures show in 2021, 18 people came to Minnesota from Texas for abortions. In 2022, that number jumped to 150. Most of those coming from out of state need financial help to travel here. 80% of these individuals that we've helped to get to their appointments would not have been able to do that without our support. Minnesota's surrounding states have either bans on abortions, or restrictions that could soon become a lot tougher. And that's why the numbers traveling from nearby states are up too. We see situations where people's lives are in danger, and so for our staff, it's really important that we are there to really to be whatever they need. With opponents vowing to fight on... We say no more! Abortion rights supporters say they'll be fighting too. One possibility, putting a constitutional amendment protecting abortion rights on the November 2024 ballot. That could either come as a stand-alone constitutional amendment, or it could be wrapped up into a larger equal rights amendment. In Minneapolis, Asmae Murphy, WCCO News.