Gov. Mark Dayton has vetoed a bill that would impose licensing requirements on clinics that perform abortions.
The bill was passed with some DFL votes, passing 80-47 in the House and 43-23 in the Senate.
Dayton said wording in the bill was vague on potential violations and that the clinics are already subject to much oversight. He wrote in the veto letter: [PDF] "There is no evidence of poor quality or unsafe procedures being performed in Minnesota clinics."
Dayton also did not like the fact that the legislation targets only abortion clinics and noted:
"If regulation of clinics were the concern, the bill should have required licensure of all clinics, not just a select few. If the Legislature wants to create a new regulatory scheme for health care clinics, then all clinics should be treated equally. No clinic or procedure should be the focuus of special and unique regulatory requirements."