Mich. House Approves Bills Requiring Abortion Clinics To Screen For Coercion, Intimidation

The Michigan House on Wednesday voted 67-38 to approve a package of bills (HB 5879, HB 5880, HB 5881, HB 5882, HB 5883) that would require abortion clinics to determine if women seeking abortions are undergoing the procedure because they have been intimidated or coerced, the AP/Mlive.com reports. The bills also would make coercing and intimidating women into seeking an abortion illegal and would give coerced women the ability to file a civil lawsuit. State Rep. Stephen Adamini (D) introduced an amendment, which the House did not support, that would have made it illegal to coerce a women into undergoing or not undergoing an abortion. Opponents of the bills say the legislation discourages women from seeking abortions, but advocates of the measures say that the bills attempt to "crack down on domestic violence," the AP/Mlive.com reports. "It is not about abortion," state Rep. Judy Emmons (R), a sponsor of the bills, said, adding, "It is about domestic violence ... all aspects of domestic violence and how it affects women." Adamini said the approved legislation violates a woman's constitutional rights and is discriminatory. The bills now move to the state Senate for consideration (Martin, AP/Mlive.com, 7/26).

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