Michigan is on the verge of passing a ban on abortion procedures similar to the current federal law that was just declared unconstitutional by a US District Court judge in San Francisco. Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm vetoed the bill banning so-called “partial-birth” abortion, but proponents of the bill collected enough petitions to allow the state legislature to bypass the normally required Governor’s signature. Legislative leaders expect easy approval of enacting the bill into law in early June, according to the Detroit Free Press.
In October, Granholm said she vetoed the bill because "federal courts have repeatedly declared unconstitutional efforts to end partial birth abortion." The bill also did not contain an exception to protect the health of the woman. In both 1996 and 1999, anti-abortion lawmakers passed abortion procedures bans in Michigan, and both times these bans were declared unconstitutional because of the lack of a health exception, according to the Associated Press.
Enforcement of the federal abortion procedures ban was stayed by a federal judge earlier this month in a ruling that affects all 900 Planned Parenthood clinics in the country. The federal ban still faces court challenges in New York and Nebraska.
5/23/2013 AZ 20 Week Abortion Ban Struck Down - On Tuesday, the Arizona law banning abortion after 20 weeks in a pregnancy was ruled unconstitutional and permanently struck down. . . .
5/23/2013 West Point Sergeant Accused of Filming Female Cadets - A sergeant first class with the US Military Academy at West Point is facing charges of secretly filming female cadets with hidden cameras and without consent. . . .
5/22/2013 Immigration Reform Bill Advances In Senate - Last night, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved a sweeping immigration reform bill in a bipartisan vote of 13 to 5. . . .
