Michigan Ranked 44th in the Nation for Reproductive Health
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 22, 2004 MICHIGAN RANKED 44TH IN NATION In National Study, State Gets an F for Protecting Reproductive HealthLansing – MARAL Pro-Choice Michigan announces the release of NARAL Pro-Choice America’s annual study Who Decides? A State-by-State Review of Abortion and Reproductive Rights. Under the leadership of a strident anti-choice Legislature, Michigan is ranked 44th this year, making it one of the most dangerous states in the nation for reproductive health. “In 2003, Michigan politicians made it quite clear that women’s health is among their lowest priorities,” said Rebekah Warren, Executive Director of the MARAL Pro-Choice Michigan. “Already this legislative session, we have seen thirty-three bills introduced that attack women’s reproductive health.” Who Decides? documents the ongoing trend in the states to pass an ever-increasing number of restrictions limiting women's reproductive freedom and choice. As a result of increased state restrictions and President Bush’s signing of the first-ever federal ban on abortion procedures, the nation’s grade on reproductive freedom fell to the lowest ever, a “D”. Michigan fared even worse than the national average, receiving a failing score thanks to the legislature’s passage of the “Legal Birth Definition Act,” which would be the most restrictive anti-choice law in the country. While Governor Jennifer Granholm vetoed the legislation – in which the state defines legal personhood beginning before birth – efforts are now underway to overturn that veto through a citizen’s initiative that would return the bill to the legislature to have the final say. “Getting an F in reproductive rights is unacceptable. Here in Michigan we are failing women,” declared Warren. “As citizens and voters, we demand that our leaders in the state House and Senate halt their attack on Michigan women and their families.” Michigan also earned a grade of F on cumulative laws on abortion in general. Currently in Michigan:
Women seeking abortions must read and sign a state-mandated “informed consent” packet which includes photographs of unborn fetuses and had been criticized for its misleading information;
The state gags public agencies from counseling on abortion as an option and prohibits them from providing the service or referring patients to an abortion provider;
Women must abide by a 24-hour waiting period before getting an abortion, despite the fact that 83% of Michigan counties have no abortion provider so many women must travel long distances to get this medical treatment. “Instead of continuing to pass unconstitutional laws, Michigan should be focusing on ways to better improve reproductive health care for Michigan women. Improving access for low-income women to reproductive and prenatal health care, assuring conceptive equity in insurance coverage, and improving medically accurate sexuality education to our young people would be a more responsible and appropriate allocation of the State’s money and resources,” Warren said. “If the Legislature has a goal of reducing the number of abortions in Michigan, focusing on preventing unintended pregnancies would be a better place to begin.” For more information, contact Rebekah at 517.327.4707. To link to a full version of this report available online, please visit NARAL Pro-Choice America's website.
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