Nation’s Most Extreme Piece of Anti-Choice Legislation Threatens to Become Law in Michigan
For Immediate Release
Thursday, May 27, 2004 Nation’s Most Extreme Piece of Anti-Choice Legislation Threatens to Become Law in MichiganMARAL Pro-Choice Michigan Opposes Ban on Abortion; Pledges to Do Everything in Its Power to Elect a Pro-Choice PresidentLansing, MI – Today, as the Michigan Board of Canvassers validated the signatures for a petition to ban almost all abortions in Michigan and sent the legislation to state lawmakers, who could vote to approve the measure as early as June 1st, MARAL Pro-Choice Michigan announced its commitment to working to elect a pro-choice president and pro-choice state representatives in November 2004. Executive Director Rebekah Warren said, “The real intent of this anti-choice initiative is to ban almost all abortions, even the safest and most common abortions performed early in pregnancy. It is one of the most extreme pieces of anti-choice legislation this country has seen since Roe v. Wade was decided thirty-one years ago. The vague wording and lack of protection for women’s health make the law blatantly unconstitutional. If the law is enacted, it will be challenged. Allowing George Bush’s far-right ideology is to continue another four years would mean the U.S. Supreme Court will be comprised of justices willing to put the health and safety of Michigan’s women in jeopardy.”
“The significance of this election year for women is clear,” Warren continued. “We must elect a president who is committed to nominating justices to the Supreme Court who will uphold a woman’s right to choose and Michigan Legislators who will work to prevent unintended pregnancies, not attack women’s health and lives,” she said. Although pro-choice Governor Jennifer Granholm vetoed similar legislation last year, the signatures of a small portion of the Michigan electorate enable the bill to return to the legislature for a veto-proof vote through a rarely used constitutional initiative. MARAL Pro-Choice Michigan was founded in 1979 as a state affiliate of NARAL Pro-Choice America. MARAL Pro-Choice Michigan is a statewide, non-partisan grassroots organization that works through the political process to guarantee every woman the right to make personal decisions regarding the full range of reproductive choices, including preventing unintended pregnancies, bearing healthy children, and choosing legal and safe abortion. For more information contact Kelly Hamilton at 517-327-4707.
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