LANSING — Today, House Republicans passed legislation to impose harsh criminal penalties on medical professionals for providing one of the safest, legal methods of abortion to Michigan women. The bills, HB 4320 and 4321, would impose penalties of up to two years imprisonment and/or fines up to $50,000 on doctors who perform such procedures. Similar legislation introduced in other states has been repeatedly struck down as unconstitutional. In response, state Rep. Julie Brixie (D-Meridian Township) issued the following statement:
“This legislation jeopardizes the health of our mothers, sisters and daughters by forcing them to undergo far riskier medical procedures. Making it a felony for medical doctors to provide the safest surgical procedure available is flagrantly unethical, immoral and unconstitutional. It saddens me that my daughters are growing up with fewer choices than I had at their age."
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