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Twenty-four hour abortion waiting period has broad support, poll says
by Tom Scheck, Minnesota Public Radio
February 28, 2003

Most of those surveyed in the poll say abortion should be legal. (Mason-Dixon Polling & Research)

A new Minnesota Public Radio-St. Paul Pioneer Press poll finds strong support for a law that would require a woman to wait 24 hours before receiving an abortion. The Minnesota Legislature has debated the waiting period for several years. Supporters say the bill would give women time to fully understand the procedure. Opponents say the bill does little except create restrictions for women who seek out the procedure.

St. Paul, Minn. — Sixty-four percent of those who responded to the poll supported requiring women to wait 24 hours before they receive an abortion. Thirty-two percent of those polled opposed the bill. Four percent were undecided.

Virginia Foley, 76, of Slayton, says she opposes abortion under any circumstances. She says the 24-hour waiting period is a good bill that would give women enough time to think about the procedure.

	Should the Legislature pass a 24-hour waiting period?

"I think it's necessary to give, especially young girls, time to think it over and realize what they're doing. I don't think they realize that it's murder," she said.

While Foley is adamant that all abortions should be illegal, many of those polled think otherwise. Forty-six percent said they think abortion should be legal under certain circumstances. Twenty-six percent said abortion should be legal under any circumstance. Twenty-three percent said all abortions should be illegal. Five percent of respondents were not sure.

Patrick Kemptner of Oakdale says he supports the bill that would require a 24-hour waiting period. However, he thinks abortion should be legal under certain circumstances.

"I see these young kids in high school now. A young girl gets pregnant in high school and they still have all of their life ahead of them. They didn't want to get pregnant. It's hard. That's a really tough subject there," Kemptner said.

Republican House Speaker Steve Sviggum says the poll tells him that the Minnesota Legislature should move forward with the 24-hour waiting period legislation. The bill reached the governor's desk twice in the last four years but was vetoed each time by Gov. Ventura. Waiting period supporters are more optimistic this year since they believe they have the votes to pass the bill in both the House and Senate. Gov. Pawlenty has also said he'd sign the bill.

Sviggum, of Kenyon, says the public wants moderate changes to abortion laws. "It sends a message that when it comes to the very emotional and very passionate abortion issue, obviously there are strong issues on both sides, people are looking for a balanced way to address the issue."

	Tim Stanley

Tim Stanley, however, disputes Sviggum's position. The executive director of the Minnesota chapter of the National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League says opponents of abortion would try to make the waiting period law even if polls said voters were against it. Stanley says he believes that the public doesn't know that women already receive the necessary medical information when they seek an abortion. He says state law requires abortion providers to provide information about abortion including risks and alternatives.

"There's already a statute -- Minnesota statute 145.412 -- that dictates that women must receive this information. They must sign on the dotted line that they have received it. Bills requiring 24-hour waiting periods just imply that women don't think seriously about the alternatives and are incapable for themselves," Stanley said.

Stanley says his organization doesn't support any changes to current abortion law. He has the support of Minneapolis resident Wally Widlund. Widlund says he thinks abortions should be legal under any circumstances. He says the state shouldn't require the 24-hour waiting period.

"It's an issue of the state government dictating how a woman makes a decision for herself. I think it adds undue stress to an already stressful situation," he said.

The Mason-Dixon Minnesota Poll surveyed 625 state voters Feb. 19 and 20. The margin of sampling error is plus- or minus-four percentage points.

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