MN House Debate Democrats' Abortion Bill Thursday: Watch Live

ST. PAUL, MN — From the jump, Minnesota's Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party lawmakers made abortion rights a priority this session. On Thursday, legislators from both parties will debate the issue at the state capitol.

Abortion is already legal in the state due to a 1995 Minnesota Supreme Court ruling titled Doe v. Gomez.

But following the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in June, Minnesota Democrats want abortion access to be enshrined in state law.

• The debate over the bill will begin Thursday at 3:30 p.m. Watch the debate live here.

"Every individual who becomes pregnant has a fundamental right to continue the pregnancy and give birth, or obtain an abortion, and to make autonomous decisions about how to exercise this fundamental right," the bill, House File 1, reads.

The abortion rights bill also states that cities and other local government entities in the state "may not regulate an individual's ability to freely exercise the fundamental rights set forth in this section in a manner that is more restrictive than that set forth in this section."

The bill has good odds of becoming signed into law this session. Democrats have the majority in both chambers of the Minnesota Legislature and also control the governor's mansion.

Meanwhile, anti-abortion groups have condemned the bill, calling it extreme.

"The extremism of this bill would put Minnesota in the same category as just seven countries in the world, among them North Korea and China," said Minnesotans Citizens Concerned for Life co-executive director Cathy Blaeser in a statement earlier this month.

"This bill means a 'right' to abort any baby for any reason at any time until birth. Women and children deserve so much better."