GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Michigan Republicans could sign into law two anti-abortion ballot initiatives if local petition drives get enough signatures.
Under state law, citizen-led initiatives that would change state statute need campaigns — like Right to Life of Michigan — to collect valid signatures from registered voters. In 180 days, the petitions must collect 8% of the number of votes that were cast for the governor.
They can also become law without Governor Whitmer's signature.
"We're optimistic that we will have the number that we need," says Genevieve Marnon, Legislative Director for Right to Life of Michigan. "The bureau of elections will take a sample and they will validate whether or not we have a sufficient number. In this case, we have 340,047 valid signatures that are based on the number of people who voted for governor in the last election. So we intend to turn in about 375,000 is what we project."
The deadline to turn in the petitions is Monday, Dec. 23.
The two separate initiatives would:
- Ban doctors from performing dilation and evacuation abortions in the state
- Ban doctors from performing abortions after a heartbeat is detected
Once the signatures are sent to lawmakers, they have 40 days to adopt the initiatives as law or send the question to the ballot.
13 ON YOUR SIDE received a statement Thursday from House Speaker Lee Chatfield regarding the petitions:
"If the appropriate number of signatures are collected by Right to Life, and it's presented to the Legislature, there will be an attempt in the House to pass it."
Planned Parenthood Advocates of Michigan spokesperson Angela Vasquez-Giroux provided the following statement:
“In every other state where this policy has been challenged, it’s been ruled unconstitutional. We have every reason to believe that’s what would happen here, and we will use every tool available to us to stop it from hurting Michiganders. We will challenge it at every opportunity – from ensuring the petitions are valid to its blatant and inevitable unconstitutionality if passed into law.”
Gov. Whitmer's office and Michigan State Senator Winnie Brinks have not yet responded for comment.
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