Associated Press
ST. PAUL -- Abortion rights opponents have decided -- at least for now -- not to push for two constitutional amendment proposals on the ballot this year.
Those amendments would have limited abortion rights in Minnesota to those provided by the U.S. Constitution and banned taxpayer-financed abortions for poor women.
Instead, officials with the group Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life said Tuesday, the 29th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion, that they will focus on two other issues.
The first would require women to wait 24 hours before getting an abortion to review medical information, a provision Gov. Jesse Ventura has twice vetoed.
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The second would stop state tax dollars from flowing to any organization that performs or advocates for abortions.
Scott Fischbach, MCCL's executive director, said the group decided to concentrate on the latter two issues after looking at "what's possible and what we can do now."
"It's a matter of priorities within our organization," he said.
Thousands gathered at the Minnesota Capitol to show their support for the changes.
Supporters of Roe v. Wade met at a separate breakfast earlier in the day to mark the anniversary and discuss upcoming legislative battles.
