Prolife People Power – Legislative Update

Although Michigan was recently found to be the #1 state at defending life through its state laws, it doesn’t mean Right to Life of Michigan and Michigan’s prolife lawmakers are going to take a break on working to pass more life-affirming laws which protect women and children.

A prime example of this occurred in March of this year when the Ultrasound Viewing Option, also known as H.B. 4446, became law and took immediate effect. This law is an addition to Michigan’s Informed Consent law and requires abortion providers to tell women considering an abortion that they have the option of viewing a live image of their ultrasound if the abortionist performs an ultrasound. Allowing women to see their developing children in the womb will help many women realize abortion is not the decision for them. This law also includes a provision which requires the state of Michigan to post the locations in Michigan where abortion-minded women can get an ultrasound free of charge on the Informed Consent web site.

More pregnancy centers may be offering free ultrasounds in the near future because Michigan’s upcoming budget currently includes $100,000 to fund an Ultrasound Matching Grant program. If this funding grant makes it by Governor Granholm’s pen, this could mean numerous pregnancy centers struggling to come up with the finances for an ultrasound machine will now be able to afford one.

In other legislative news, S.B. 1176, the Stillborn Tax Credit bill, passed in the Michigan Senate by a vote of 37-0. This bill will enable families that experience a stillbirth after 20 weeks gestation to claim a one time tax credit in the year of the stillbirth. This is intended to help families cover the costs of prenatal care or the funeral arrangements incurred.

In June, a group of prolife legislators introduced legislation to create a network of umbilical cord stem cell banks. These banks would store blood, which is rich in stem cells, from umbilical cords leftover after birth. This package of bills requires the state to promote the cord blood banks, provides financial support to the banks and allows tax credits to individuals who donate to the cord blood banks.
Right to Life of Michigan is also waiting to hear when the next stage of the appeal on the Legal Birth Definition Act will take place. A decision by Judge Denise Page Hood has been appealed by Michigan prolife Attorney General Mike Cox to the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals.