Michigan House Delays Vote On Abortion Ban Mirroring Federal Law

Main Category: Abortion
Article Date: 28 Apr 2008 - 9:00 PDT

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The Michigan House on Wednesday delayed voting on a bill (SB 776) that would ban so-called "partial-birth" abortions except to save women's lives, the AP/Mlive.com reports. According to the AP/Mlive.com, the legislation "mirrors" the federal partial-birth abortion ban (S 3) that was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court last year (AP/Mlive.com, 4/23).

The bill, which passed the Senate in January, would charge physicians who violate the measure with a felony, which would be punishable by up to two years in prison and/or a $50,000 fine (Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 1/24). Abortion-rights opponents say the measure is necessary to enable state and local authorities to prosecute physicians who perform the procedure. Abortion-rights supporters argue that the bill is unnecessary because the procedure is already banned under federal law.

Right to Life of Michigan and other antiabortion groups were advocating for a Senate vote on Wednesday, but opponents of the bill urged House Speaker Andy Dillon (D) to not allow a vote on the bill and not "pander" to groups seeking to limit women's reproductive rights, the AP/Mlive.com reports.

House Democrats and abortion-rights opponents agreed to meet Thursday to discuss the issue further, the AP/Mlive.com reports. An agreement to vote on the bill might depend on Republican lawmakers and abortion-rights opponents not opposing legislation that aims to reduce unintended pregnancies by requiring comprehensive sex education as early as middle school, the AP/Mlive.com reports (AP/Mlive.com, 4/23).

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