The Minnesota Senate Judiciary Committee passed a bill on Wednesday that would close a loophole in Minnesota’s sentencing guidelines overlooking violent criminals who end the lives of unborn children. Senate Judiciary Committee Vice Chairman Senator Mark Johnson (R-East Grand Forks) released the following statement supporting the bill.

“Minnesota law has long recognized that when a woman is the victim of a serious, violent crime and her unborn baby loses his or her life, the perpetrator is subject to criminal penalty,” said Senator Johnson. “This bill will ensure all human life is protected equally under the law.”

The bill creates a first-degree felony murder charge of an unborn child with a 30-year minimum. This is identical to how the parallel crime of first-degree murder is treated. In 2019 the Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines Commission voted unanimously that the Legislature resolve this issue.

This bill is in stark contrast to a bill introduced by Senator Jen McEwen (D-Duluth) last week that would strip all individual rights from unborn children. The McEwen bill would allow for the abortion of children at any moment until birth.

“It saddens me that some members of the legislators would want to strip all human rights from unborn children,” said Johnson. “I strongly oppose this bill and I am committed to standing up for life at every stage and defending the basic rights of all people.”