At Issue: July 17 — Abortion, public safety leading issues as 2022 elections draw near

This week, a Ramsey County judge declared several of Minnesota’s abortion restrictions unconstitutional under the Minnesota Constitution. Opposition to the ruling could land the debate in the Minnesota Supreme Court.

Our political analysts joined KSTP’s Tom Hauser this week to talk about the abortion ruling and the ways Minnesota Republicans and Democrats are likely to respond.

St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter announced new public safety efforts Friday, called “Project Peace.” Carter said St. Paul has begun to see first responders as the entire strategy for public safety, but a holistic approach should begin with proactive steps to prevent bad situations from happening.

On the public safety beat, dramatic reduction in Minneapolis Police Department ranks has forced MPD to lessen its role at Minnesota Vikings games. As the Vikings work to fill in the gaps, people have been assured that safety standards will continue to be met.

In community news, Minnesota Senate Majority Leader Jeremy Miller jumped into Lake Winona and saved the life of a man whose canoe had capsized. There will also be a new memorial put up for the late Thomas Decker, an officer who lost his life on the job 10 years ago in Cold Spring.

Watch this week’s “At Issue” to learn about these current events and topics such as inflation and Minnesota’s cannabis legalization.