Understanding the Ballot Language
The Reproductive Freedom for All constitutional amendment is being proposed by Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties Union. The amendment is not about protecting existing rights; instead, it smuggles an extreme proposal into the Michigan Constitution that would repeal or drastically alter dozens of other state laws. The amendment would fundamentally change the relationships between parents and children, as well as women and their doctors.
The Reproductive Freedom for All constitutional amendment is being proposed by Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties Union. The amendment is not about protecting existing rights; instead, it smuggles an extreme proposal into the Michigan Constitution that would repeal or drastically alter dozens of other state laws. The amendment would fundamentally change the relationships between parents and children, as well as women and their doctors.
Below is the summary of the amendment that will appear on the ballot in November:
A proposal to amend the state constitution to establish new individual right to reproductive freedom, including right to make all decisions about pregnancy and abortion; allow state to regulate abortion in some cases; and forbid prosecution of individuals exercising this established right.
This proposed constitutional amendment would:
- Establish new individual right to reproductive freedom, including right to make and carry out all decisions about pregnancy, such as prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, contraception, sterilization, abortion, miscarriage management, and infertility;
- Allow state to regulate abortion after fetal viability, but not prohibit if medically needed to protect a patient’s life or physical or mental health;
- Forbid state discrimination in enforcement of this right; prohibit prosecution of an individual, or a person helping a pregnant individual, for exercising rights established by this amendment;
- Invalidate state laws conflicting with this amendment.
As you can read for yourself, the language employed is vague and even pretty confusing. So, what would adding this amendment to the Michigan constitution do? Here are just some of the likely outcomes:
- Legalize abortion at any time in pregnancy for any reason, including late-term and partial-birth abortions.
- Revoke parental consent for abortions, thus allowing any person to help teens obtain abortions without their parents knowing.
- Revoke parental consent for sterilizing medical procedures for gender-confused young people.
- Permit abortions to be performed by anyone, even those without a medical license.
- Protect abortion providers from penalties for killing or injuring a woman during an abortion.
- Revoke state law that requires abortion facilities to be licensed and inspected.
- Require taxpayers to pay for abortions.