News Release: On the Passage of the Abortion Insurance Opt-Out Act

(Lansing)—Michigan Catholic Conference Policy Advocacy Rebecca Mastee, J.D., offered the following comments today after both the Michigan Senate and House of Representatives passed Initiated Legislation 1 (IL1), the citizen-initiated Abortion Insurance Opt-Out Act:

“As a result of this citizen-initiated legislation, Michigan will continue its strong record of protecting taxpayers from financing another person’s elective abortion. The initiated legislation approved today will ensure, as the Affordable Care Act allows, that any health plan offered on the state exchange will not include insurance coverage for an elective procedure that destroys unborn human life. Abortion is not health care, and that fact cannot be overstated.

“Michigan Catholic Conference is thankful to legislators, both Republican and Democrat, who supported this citizen-initiative while looking past the ideological rhetoric of some opponents who sought to distort its intent and purpose. The vote to ensure that health plans on the exchange do not include taxpayer subsidized abortion coverage is to be commended, and we are grateful to legislative leaders for bringing this initiative to a vote in a timely manner. The passage of this measure will help to reinforce Michigan’s standing as one of the strongest pro-life states in the country.”

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

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