Right to Life of Michigan

Passed prolife successes
Major Michigan prolife laws

Informed Consent
Requires abortion clinics to provide women with materials from the state at least 24 hours in advance of an abortion. These materials include information about the risks of abortion and alternatives to abortion as well as prenatal development descriptions and photographs.

Parental Consent
Requires physicians to obtain consent from a parent or guardian before performing an abortion on a minor. The minor may seek a waiver of parental consent through the probate court if circumstances in the home warrant (abuse, etc...).

Ban on Medicaid-Funded Abortions
Prohibits using tax dollars to pay for elective abortions through Medicaid. Only abortions necessary to save the life of the mother could be provided through Medicaid dollars until the Clinton Administration passed a mandate in 1993 that requires Medicaid to pay for abortions for rape and incest as well. The law ensures that services related to the abortion (such as pregnancy tests and ultrasounds) cannot be billed to Medicaid.

Ban on Human Cloning
Prohibits human cloning and prohibits state funds from being used for research that involves human cloning. The ban includes so-called "therapeutic cloning," which is when an embryo clone is created, parts are removed, and then, the embryo is destroyed.

Prenatal Protection
Allows for separate charges to be brought when a criminal action against a pregnant woman results in death or injury to her unborn child. This law recognizes the reality that a child's life is also affected when a pregnant woman suffers from a criminal action.

Safe Haven for Abandoned Babies
This law shields parents from criminal penalties if they safely surrender a newborn baby to an emergency services provider. The disturbing trend of young mothers abandoning their newborn babies in any number of dangerous places led to the passage of this legislation. Parents may receive immunity from child abandonment laws if they bring their baby to a safe place within 72 hours of birth which is defined as hospitals, police and fire stations.

Ban on Assisted Suicide
Outlaws assisted suicide in Michigan and provides penalties for anyone who would help someone to commit suicide for any reason.

 

Back to table of contents