Minnesota House passes bill protecting abortion providers and out-of-state patients.

Minnesota's Democratic-controlled House has passed the Reproductive Freedom Defense Act, which would protect local providers and their out-of-state patients from action by states that punish those seeking or providing abortions. The bill would require patients to consent before Minnesota health care providers release any reproductive health records, even if other states issue subpoenas. It would shield health-care providers from possible disciplinary action and prevent the arrests or extradition of any person charged for a crime in another state for reproductive health care provided in Minnesota. The bill will now need to clear the Senate, where Democrats hold a razor-thin majority.