Reckless Action is Outside Any Other Industry Standard, as No Industry is Left to Regulate Itself
LANSING, MI – Earlier today, Planned Parenthood, the ACLU and NARAL asked the Michigan legislature to repeal common-sense protections for women. These protections include informed consent which the 24-hour waiting period is a component of, abortion clinic regulations, and the Medicaid Abortion Funding Ban. The majority of Michiganders support these protections as they are accepted as common medical practice.
“The suggestion that basic health and safety protections for women must be removed demonstrates the blind fervor with which Planned Parenthood is seeking to expand. This has nothing to do with women and everything to do with their bottom line as the nation’s largest abortion provider,” stated Genevieve Marnon, Legislative Director, Right to Life of Michigan.
The current informed consent provisions were developed by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, in consultation with medical professionals and enforced by every past administration, regardless of political persuasion. Informed consent, including the 24-hour waiting period, is easily satisfied by logging onto the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Informed Consent for Abortion Website and clicking through the informed consent provisions. Removal of this protection is contrary to standard medical practice.
“As a basic matter of safety, clinic regulations require hallways to be a certain width in case emergency responders need to access the patient. This is the same standard that people expect from every surgical outpatient facility, yet Planned Parenthood seems to want a different set of rules for themselves,” stated Marnon.
The use of taxpayer dollars to finance abortion is an affront to people with a conscientious objection to abortion and ignores the will of the people, as 57% of Michigan voters voted to retain the ban on Medicaid-funded abortions the last time the issue was before voters.
“It is high time we move past the politics of abortion and have a serious conversation about what serves women best. No industry is left to regulate itself. The proposed removal of common-sense regulations serves the interests of the abortion industry, not women seeking abortions. We urge Michigan legislators to keep these long-standing, basic protections for women and girls in place,” stated Marnon.