As Proposal 3 was being championed as a ballot question, our citizens were assured that this was just going to take us back to a pre- Roe -overturning position. Opponents said there would never be late-term abortions unless it was an emergency, yet late-term abortions aren’t even being discouraged by our leadership at the state or federal level. They said there would be no way that protections and oversight for facilities would be removed, yet this body just did that today. They said there would be no issue with women being informed of the risks, yet this body today again made that no longer a requirement.
This is something by the way that is required of other elective procedures, and it should be. People going in for elective procedures should know what the risks are. Each one of these has been affirmatively voted against as amendments today. While it is true that our population voted for Proposal 3, it is obvious that the proponents were not being honest about what would be the reality of our state once this was adopted. The bills we’re passing today show that it was entirely disingenuous.
As someone who stands here because Roe was not yet decided, as someone who stands here having chosen life, even when it was inconvenient, as someone who stands here as the grandmother of a child also born out of wedlock, I pray that you reconsider your positions, understand the meanings to families. I’ve spoken to mothers who were pregnant before Roe was put in place and they wonder what their choice would have been, and they honestly live with guilt because they wonder. I’ve spoken to women who did make that choice and who regret it every day, and they wonder what their child would look like. I stand here as someone who has a family because the right choices were made.
Senator Theis asked and was granted unanimous consent to make a statement and moved that the statement be printed in the Journal.
The motion prevailed.
Senator Theis’ statement is as follows:
My amendment would support adoption services and protect maternal health. Every human life is a gift from God and has dignity and value worth protecting. If Democrats are serious about growing our state’s population, then we should be providing families with the support and resources they need to raise a family. Let’s provide women with that support and those resources, the things that they need to keep the mother and child safe during and after the pregnancy. We need to promote adoption services in our state as well, and I ask for support on my amendment.
The following bill was read a third time:
Senate Bill No. 529, entitled
A bill to amend 1954 PA 116, entitled “Michigan election law,” by amending sections 46, 47, 581, 795c, 822, 841, 842, and 846 (MCL 168.46, 168.47, 168.581, 168.795c, 168.822, 168.841, 168.842, and 168.846), section 46 as amended by 2002 PA 431, section 795c as amended by 2015 PA 268, section 822 as amended by 2018 PA 614, section 841 as amended by 2015 PA 197, and section 842 as amended by 2018 PA 382, and by adding section 814.
The question being on the passage of the bill,
The bill was passed, a majority of the members serving voting therefor, as follows: