Yesterday commemorated the 35^th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision of Roe v. Wade.  Over 2,000 Minnesotans gathered at the State Capitol joining with others groups across the nation in the annual March for Life.  Adults and children braved bitter cold temperatures to march for an end to abortion. The lives of over 45 million children have been "legally" terminated nationally since the 1973 ruling of Roe v. Wade.  Here in Minnesota, over 500,000 children have been killed in the name of a woman’s right to "choose."  What makes matters worse is that Minnesota taxpayers are funding many of these abortions. In 1995, the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled in the case of Doe v. Gomez that the state of Minnesota must pay for abortions for those on public medical assistance programs.  Since this ruling, Minnesota taxpayers have paid more than $8 million for abortions.  Although most Minnesotans oppose abortion, nearly 30% of all abortions in Minnesota are now being funded through state tax dollars!  The Minnesota State Legislature has the power to introduce new legislation that could result in a reversal of the Doe v. Gomez decision.  There are two basic alternative approaches.  The first approach would be passing a bill that would allow Minnesotans to decide whether our State Constitution should be amended to eliminate taxpayer-funding of abortions.  The second approach would be to pass a law that would provoke a legal fight that will ultimately force the Minnesota Supreme Court to revisit their prior decision.  Companion bills have been introduced in the Minnesota state legislature to do exactly that (HF0992 and SF0838).  The bills were killed in committee last year.  You can make a difference by signing the petition calling for state lawmakers to support these bills.