Lansing Update: Bills Endangering Vulnerable Women Introduced
Posted September 8, 2023
Legislation Introduced to Repeal State’s Pro-Life Laws, Safety Protections for Women
Lawmakers this week introduced legislation comprising the “Reproductive Health Act” that seeks to repeal abortion limits that protect the health and safety of women, along with repealing several other pro-life measures in state law.
The package includes Senate Bills 474 through 479, which were sent to the Senate Housing and Human Services Committee, as well as House Bills 4949 through 4959, which were sent to the House Health Policy Committee. No meetings on any of the bills are scheduled yet.
MCC staff is currently reviewing the legislation to determine the specific details. However, abortion supporters have previously said they are seeking to repeal informed consent standards for abortion that protect a women’s right to know, as well as requirements that abortion clinics are licensed and inspected by the state to ensure they are meeting basic health and safety standards.
As MCC has noted previously, these proposals are not only harmful to women’s health and safety, but are not in line with a majority of Michigan voters, who support informed consent for abortion and health and safety standards for clinics.
MCC will be working to defeat this legislation. Watch for more information coming soon about opportunities to contact lawmakers to urge them to oppose this legislation.
MCC Supports Extending Tax Exemption for People Struggling With Poverty
Property owners struggling financially could continue to receive an automatic poverty exemption on their local property taxes for another year under a bill that moved out of a House committee with Michigan Catholic Conference’s (MCC) support.
A 2020 law intended to help those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic allowed local governments to grant an automatic poverty tax exemption to people who meet certain qualifications. The exemption initially applied for three years and had a one-year look-back in granting the exemption.
This bill — Senate Bill 55, sponsored by Sen. Stephanie Chang (D-Detroit) — extends the automatic poverty tax exemption for another tax year, to 2023, for properties that were already exempt during the 2019, 2020, and 2021 fiscal years.
MCC offers support for this bill to help those who are struggling financially to remain in their homes.
The bill — which has already passed the Senate and is on the House floor for further consideration — is expected to only have a small fiscal impact on state and local revenues, according to a legislative analysis.
Two Months Until the Michigan March for Life: Make Your Plans to Attend
Today marks just two months until the first Michigan March for Life at the state Capitol in Lansing, beginning at 11 a.m. on November 8.
The March will mark the one-year anniversary of the passage of Proposal 3 and serves as a reminder that the work and prayer needed to protect human life in Michigan has never been more important. The March — with its goal of bringing upwards of 8,000 people to the Capitol — is important to demonstrating to state lawmakers the grassroots support for the dignity of human life.
In addition to the March, plans are underway to host a prayer vigil for life the night before the March in the Lansing area, as well as a Mass on the morning of the March. Details for these events will be announced as soon as they are available, and more information in general about the March can be found here.
Start making plans now to attend the March with your family, friends and parishioners: RSVP today at this link, and to see if there are any buses going to the March that are leaving from your area, check out this resource.
Otherwise, reach out to your parish or consider organizing a parish trip to the March.
Sign Up to Receive Text Alerts From the Catholic Advocacy Network
Members of the Catholic Advocacy Network (CAN) are invited to sign up to be notified by text about participating in action alerts on important legislative matters.
To sign up for text alerts, text “MICAN” to the number 50457 and follow the prompts from there.
The purpose of introducing text alerts is to provide existing members of the CAN another convenient way to contact lawmakers on critical legislative matters. Text alerts will allow MCC to quickly engage Catholic grassroots on action alerts, which is crucial when important legislation is moving fast — and it often does.
Thank you for your continued interest in legislative matters and for your participation in action alerts regarding legislation of interest to Catholics.
