By John Jalsevac
LANSING, MI, June 13, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm has vowed to once again veto a ban on partial birth abortion after the ban successfully passed through the state legislature and senate, reports the Associated Press.
The ban was passed by the senate on January 22, the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, in a 24 to 13 vote, after which it was sent the house, where it was expected to be easily passed. However, the House Judiciary Committee, led by Democrat Paul Condino, refused to complete the processes needed to send the bill to the house for a vote, thereby stalling the passage of the bill for several months.
The bill eventually went to a vote in late April and was passed by a wide majority of 72-34.
Previous attempts to pass a partial-birth ban in Michigan have been repeatedly thwarted, either by the governor or the courts.
A version of the bill that was passed in 2003 was promptly vetoed by Gov. Granholm.
Then, in 2007, the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the ban – known as the Legal Birth Definition Act – was unconstitutional.
This ruling came after 460,000 Michigan citizens signed a petition to have Gov. Granholm’s previous veto overturned. The Michigan Catholic Conference and Right to Life of Michigan led the powerful 2004 campaign, known as The People’s Override, to collect enough signatures to ensure a veto-proof version of the bill would pass the legislature.
Despite obtaining well over the number of signatures necessary to ensure a veto-proof bill, the court ruled that the ban was too broad and could be used to apply to other abortion methods performed earlier in pregnancy. The bill would place an “undue burden” on a woman’s ability to obtain an abortion, the appeals panel said in upholding an earlier opinion issued by a Detroit district judge.
The most recent version of the ban is scheduled to be presented to Gov. Granholm next week. Should the governor make good on her promise to veto the ban, the bill will go back to the senate and the house, where a two-thirds majority will be sought to override the governor’s veto. The bill currently has enough support in the house to ensure the two-thirds majority, but not in the senate.
See related LifeSiteNews.com coverage:
Michigan and Alaska a Step Closer to Banning Partial Birth Abortion
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/jan/08012304.html
Partial-Birth Abortion Ban in Michigan Unconstitutional: Federal Appeals Court
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/jun/07060508.html
Michigan’s Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Blocked By Pro-Abortion Legislators
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/apr/08041708.html
325,000 Michigan Residents Sign Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Petition
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2004/mar/04031208.html