Reports from Lansing, Michigan, indicate that a new legislative effort has been introduced to redefine abortion under state law. Republican State Representative Josh Schriver has put forward a two-bill package that would classify abortion as murder, despite a recent constitutional amendment protecting reproductive rights in the state.
The proposed legislation, which Schriver refers to as the “Justice for Babies in the Womb Act,” seeks to revise legal definitions in homicide, assault, and battery cases to include unborn children. This move comes in direct contrast to the 2022 voter-approved constitutional amendment that established a “right to reproductive freedom” and prohibited prosecution for pregnancy outcomes, including abortion.
The background to this situation is important. Michigan voters passed the reproductive rights amendment in November 2022, following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Governor Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, has been vocal in her support for abortion rights, describing her ongoing efforts to “protect reproductive freedom in Michigan.”
Both sides of this issue present compelling arguments. Supporters of the bill, including former Planned Parenthood director turned anti-abortion activist Abby Johnson, view it as a necessary step for equal protection of unborn children. Critics argue that it contradicts the will of Michigan voters as expressed in the recent constitutional amendment.
While Republicans control the state House, Democrats hold both the state Senate and the governor’s office, making the bill’s passage unlikely in its current form. This raises important questions about the balance of power in state government and the interpretation of voter-approved amendments.