Rural Minnesota town council votes against proposed anti-abortion ordinance | CPT PPP Coverage

PRINSBURG, Minn. — In the rural, quiet town of Prinsburg, Minnesota — population nearly 500 — it’s the discussions held behind the doors of City Hall that are heard the loudest. 

“I am asking for a motion to deny the request to consider the abortion ordinance,” said Prinsburg Mayor Roger Ahrenholz. 

That ordinance, which was proposed in November, would allow residents to sue abortion providers and companies providing abortion drugs by mail. 

“The city was thrust into the spotlight with news outlets reporting on the proposed ordinance,” said Mayor Ahrenholz during Friday’s special council meeting. 

It prompted a letter from Attorney General Keith Ellison’s office, calling the proposal unconstitutional, because abortion is legal in Minnesota. The letter says, in part: “No city in Minnesota has the power to restrict the right to abortion or enact conflicting regulations on health care providers.”

A letter which Prinsburg resident and republican representative Tim Miller disagrees with. 

“Well of course I’m disappointed,” he said. 

Miller is the one who proposed the ordinance, in partnership with Pro-Life Action Ministries (PLAM). 

“This ordinance proposal does not make abortions illegal, it just puts a civil action against it if an abortion provider does something,” explained Miller. 

PLAM has helped pass similar ordinances in states like Texas, but the difference is that abortion is not legal there.

“We investigated this, we vetted this thoroughly in Minnesota and we believe that it can be successful,” said Miller. 

“The council has not been provided with any case law or legal authority from our city attorney to rebut the attorney general’s position,” said Mayor Arenholz. 

Regardless, Miller isn’t showing any signs of adjusting anytime soon. 

“We’ve been working hard in this town and we plan to continue working here,” said Miller. He went on to say, “rural Minnesota is very pro-life and they are not being served by our government at this time and so this is a way that they can have their voice be heard.”

The city council spent four minutes before unanimously voting to pass the motion to deny the request to consider the proposed ordinance.

“Moving forward with such an ordinance knowing the position of the Minnesota Attorney General would subject the City of Prinsburg and its citizens to much scrutiny and likely significant litigation,” explained Mayor Arenholz. 

“All of us as elected officials swear to uphold Minnesota’s Constitution. I know that as Minnesota’s Chief Legal Officer, I will do everything within my power to protect Minnesotans’ constitutional rights, including the right to abortion,” said Ellison. 

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