Abortion fight is not new to groups
Detroit News
January 9, 2004
By Kim Kozlowski
Catholics join Right to Life for third time since 1987After two successes since 1987, Right to Life of Michigan and the Michigan Catholic Conference again are teaming up on a citizens initiative to attempt to overturn a veto of an abortion bill by a Democratic governor. But opponents are promising to fight back. The seldom-used political move is provided for in the Michigan Constitution, and in this case would require proponents to collect 255,000 signatures to bring back a bill that would have effectively banned late-term abortions. Gov. Jennifer Granholm vetoed the bill in October because it didn’t protect the health of the mother. If the signatures are collected within 180 days and a simple majority of the House and Senate approves the initiative, the Legal Birth Definition Act will become law. “It’s our belief that the state has a responsibility to define when a child has been born and to protect those children who have been born from any heinous procedures perpetrated against them,” said Paul A. Long, vice president for public policy of the Michigan Catholic Conference. It is the public policy voice of the Catholic church in Michigan. Right to Life of Michigan previously used a citizens initiative to outlaw Medicaid-funded abortions and require parental consent for abortions. As in the past, opponents are promising to mount a counter-campaign and court challenge. Courts struck down previous Michigan laws prohibiting partial-birth abortion in 1996 and 1999. But this bill establishes that the time of a child’s birth — and the start of constitutional protections — begins when any part of a baby’s body is outside the mother’s womb. “This is a very private decision that should be made between a woman and her family and her doctor and not by politicians,” said Wendy Wagenheim of the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan. “The Michigan law that has already been vetoed contains no health exception ... and a woman’s health is paramount.” Polls show Americans are mostly opposed to late-term abortions when surveyed, according to Ed Sarpolus of EPIC-MRA, an independent research and polling firm in Lansing. But when asked about laws that don’t include provision for the health of the mother, support falls off, he said. A poll of Michigan voters conducted by EPIC-MRA in December asked voters if they would override Granholm’s veto: 44 percent said yes, and 49 percent said no. You can reach Kim Kozlowski at (313) 222-2024 or kkozlowski@detnews.com.
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