Governor vetoes partial birth abortion ban

Quietly, late on Friday, June 13, Governor Jennifer Granholm vetoed S.B. 776, the Partial Birth Abortion Ban. This action came as no surprise, she previously vetoed the Legal Birth Definition Act in her first term as governor. Her veto message stated, "I will not support a late term abortion ban that fails to protect the life and the health of mothers." Again, she is hiding behind the false "health of the mother" exception as her excuse, trying to save face with people of Michigan who are clearly against this extreme abortion procedure.

S.B. 776 sponsored by Sen. Carmeron Brown (and the identical H.B. 4616 sponsored by Rep. Brian Palmer) contains a "life" of the mother exception. Brown and Palmer's bills mirror the federal partial birth ban which was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in April of 2007. During the Senate Health Policy Committee hearing on S.B. 776, an ACLU spokesperson acknowledged that this bill passes constitutional muster. An obstetrician testified that it is never necessary to resort to partial birth abortions to protect the mother's health.

Subsequently the bill was reported out of committee and passed on the Senate floor on January 22, 2008, (Roe v. Wade's 35th anniversary) by a vote of 24-13. One prolife senator was absent, making for 25 Senate supporters, one vote short of the two-thirds majority needed to override a gubernatorial veto.

In the House, pro-abortion legislators blocked its movement for nearly three months, until Right to Life of Michigan put the pressure on. With continued agitating by prolife House Democrats and Republicans, and prolife citizens, Speaker Andy Dillon indicated there would be a vote no later than Right to Life of Michigan's annual Legislative Day. April 23 arrived along with 250 plus prolifers, filling the House gallery, overflowing down the stairs and into the lobby awaiting a vote. The Democrats were called to caucus privately. And caucus they did - for more than 4 hours. Prolifers virtually shut down the House of Representatives that afternoon. But delay after delay would continue for another month, with prolife efforts shutting down the House two more days in May.

The bill was discharged from committee on May 1 and RLM kept racketing up the pressure. A vote was eventually taken on the floor of the House on May 27, 2008, the bill passing 74 - 32, with two prolife votes absent. An override vote in the House requires 74 votes; the bill has 76 House supporters. More pro-abortion tactics kept the bill needlessly retained in the House Clerk's office until June 10. On June 12, S.B. 776 was finally cleared for enrollment, printing and presentation to the governor. Gov. Granholm promptly vetoed the bill the next day with no fan fare.

All efforts are presently focused on securing a 26th vote in the Senate in order to override the Governor's veto. The people of Michigan overwhelmingly oppose this barbaric procedure, as do their elected officials. We will never retreat until all babies are safe from this torturous pre-natal "choice."

Back to the table of contents