Legislative Update

The People’s Override Update

Prolife people have been waiting for months to hear when the appeal to Michigan’s Legal Birth Definition Law will be heard in the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals. Oral arguments will be held on Thursday, October 26, in Cincinnati, Ohio.

With bipartisan support, Michigan lawmakers passed the Legal Birth Definition Act to save children, but Governor Jennifer Granholm vetoed the legislation. That veto, however, did not stop the prolife people in Michigan. The People’s Override formed, more than 460,000 signatures were collected and the Legal Birth Definition Act was reintroduced. The Legislation passed and became law without the Governor’s signature.

Federal Child Custody Protection Act fails

In July, the U.S. Senate voted on the Child Custody Protection Act (S. 403). While the legislation passed, unfortunately, the leadership of the Senate Democrats objected to the routine request to name members to a conference committee. Prolife leaders are unsure if this procedural delay will be overcome before the November election.

The Child Custody Protection Act would make it a federal crime to transport a minor across state lines for the purpose of having an abortion. The majority of states (including Michigan) have passed laws which require a minor to notify her parents or receive their consent before having an abortion, but these laws are often circumvented when minors are transported across state lines to states which don’t have a parental consent law. A similar bill passed overwhelmingly in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Michigan enacted an abortion Parental Consent law in 1990. Due to various court challenges, the law was not fully in effect until March of 1993. From 1990 to 2005, the abortion rate for minors fell a stunning 60 percent. Unfortunately, both of Michigan’s U.S. Senators, Senator Carl Levin and Senator Debbie Stabenow, voted against this common sense legislation which would help protect Michigan families.

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