Minnesota Governor Tim Walz says IVF policy and gun regulations will be priorities during State of the State address

(Owatonna, MN) -- Minnesota held its 2024 State of the State address to a crowded Owatonna High School on Tuesday. The Governor spoke about numerous topics at the high school; touching on topics like protecting IVF for families, enhancing what he calls "common sense" gun regulations, and reinforcing Paid Family and Medical Leave after its passage in the 2023 legislative session. 

Governor Walz dedicated a portion of his address to IVF treatments and infertility. He said the procedure will be protected while he remains governor, and urges for legislation to be passed similar to how abortion protections were after the U.S. Supreme Court Decision on Roe. vs. Wade.

"A bunch of judges down in Alabama recently ruled that a frozen embryo holds the same legal status as a human being. And, as a direct result, fertility clinics across the state closed their doors, leaving women and men who are desperate to start or grow their families with nowhere to turn. Let me say something personal here: Even if you’ve never gone through the hell of infertility, someone you know has. When Gwen and I were having trouble getting pregnant, the anxiety and frustration blotted out the sun. All we wanted was something that seemed to come so easy for others: the chance to bring new life into the world. What those judges did was a direct attack on my family. My children. Gwen and I will not forget it. We will not forgive it. And neither will thousands of other moms and dads across this state."

Minnesota's lead lawmakers are urging for more gun regulations, with some following the loss of three first responders in Burnsville due to a shootout with a felon who had access to multiple firearms he wasn't legally allowed to own. 

"Tonight, I’m urging the legislature to join me in making our schools – and our communities – a little bit safer still by strengthening requirements for safe storage of firearms, reporting lost and stolen guns, and increasing criminal penalties for straw purchasers. This is a dangerous world. We were reminded of that this year when three of our bravest first responders lost their lives at the hands of a man with a gun he shouldn’t have had. We know that we can’t legislate against every act of violence but surely we can do more. Asking our neighbors to keep their guns stored safely, and to report to law enforcement when their guns are lost or stolen, is a simple step that could save lives. And it’s high time we took that step here in Minnesota."

You can watch Minnesota's 2024 State of the State Address in the video below.