LANSING, Mich., Aug. 19, 2022 — House Republicans voted this week to keep the state’s 1931 abortion ban. In a meeting of the House Appropriations Committee Wednesday, the Republicans on the committee unanimously voted to defeat an amendment to repeal the ’31 law that criminalizes abortion in Michigan.
“House Republicans have defended this abortion ban at every opportunity, and again just this week. They have been loud and clear that this is the law they want, it’s ‘31 or Bust and their policy is to criminalize abortion without exception for rape, incest or regard for the age of the victim,” said House Democratic Leader Donna Lasinski (D-Scio Township). “The people of Michigan do not want this law, and House Democrats are fighting to repeal it every chance we get. We took up the fight again this week, and every Republican on the committee voted to keep the ’31 ban. The people of Michigan deserve to know why a law this cruel, dangerous and invasive still rules over private medical decisions — the answer is Lansing Republicans are fighting to defend the abortion ban every day.”
State Rep. Samantha Steckloff (D-Farmington Hills) offered the amendment, connecting passage of House Bill 5289 to repeal the ’31 abortion ban to HB 5956, which was before the Appropriations Committee in Wednesday’s meeting. The amendment failed on a 12-16 party-line vote, as did every other amendment offered by Democrats on the committee, including an amendment tying passage to that of HB 5542, the Reproductive Health Act.