News Release: Board of Canvassers Approve People's Override Signatures

LANSING—The Michigan Board of State Canvassers today validated petition signatures allowing for the Legislature to consider measures that will override the governor’s veto of the Legal Birth Definition Act, legislation intended to end partial-birth abortions in Michigan.

“The Legal Birth Definition Act is a sound and sensible measure intended to put an end to a horrific procedure that has been a plague in our society for far too long,” said Kristen Hemker. “Unfortunately a court challenge awaits the imminent passage of the bill from those who use such words as ‘radical’ and ‘extreme’ in describing the hundreds of thousands of Michigan citizens who believe in the dignity of the human person.”

The Michigan Legislature now has 40 days to pass the citizen-initiated measures by a simple majority. If approved, which is imminent after nearly two-thirds majority of both chambers passed the bill last year, the governor cannot veto the measure and the language will not have to appear on a ballot. Various pro-abortion groups who support the partial-birth abortion procedure have publicly stated they will challenge the law in court after passage by the Senate and House of Representatives.

Last month the S.T.T.O.P. (Standing Together to Oppose Partial Birth Abortion) coalition, which is comprised of the Michigan Catholic Conference, Right to Life of Michigan and the Knights of Columbus, submitted 460,034 signatures to the Elections Division of the Secretary of State’s office. The petition drive, which began January 15, was completed in half the time allowed by law, collected twice the number of signatures required by the Michigan Constitution and set a new state record for most signatures collected without paying circulators.

Michigan Catholic Conference is the official public policy voice of the Catholic Church in this state.

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