The Minnesota Senate Judiciary Committee passed a bill on Wednesday that would close a loophole in Minnesota’s sentencing guidelines that overlooks violent criminals who end the lives of unborn children. Senator Julia Coleman (R-Chanhassen) is a co-author on the bill and released the following statement supporting the legislation.

“State law recognizes that it is a serious crime to commit an act of violence on a woman that causes the loss of her unborn child,” said Coleman. “This legislation makes it clear that all human life should be protected equally under the law and those violent criminals who commit heinous acts against mothers and their unborn children should face serious punishment.”  

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.