State Rep. Andrew Beeler on Thursday lambasted Democrat-sponsored proposals that would repeal any remaining restrictions on abortion and abortion clinics in Michigan. Legislation was introduced that would, in part, pay for elective abortions with taxpayer funds, eliminate informed consent requirements, and permit partial-birth abortion, an extremely unpopular late-term abortion procedure.

The House Health Policy Committee on Thursday considered House Bills 4949-4959, the so-called “Reproductive Health Act,” which removes Michigan’s medical licensing and safety requirements for abortion facilities. Beeler, R-Port Huron, noted that the dangerous, unpopular changes have nothing to do with what Michigan voters approved when Proposal 3 passed in 2022.

“Democrats are allowing for the most barbaric practices related to abortion, none of which the voters consented to in Proposal 3,” Beeler said. “Pro-life and pro-choice Michiganders support common-sense licensure, inspections, and reporting for abortion facilities, but this extreme legislation would eliminate these medical standards. Democrats are also pushing to end informed consent protections for Michigan women and open the door to barbaric partial-birth abortions. To make matters worse, they want to funnel taxpayer dollars to fund abortions — even at unsafe, unsanitary facilities. This extreme, unpopular agenda undermines the health, safety, and decency of Michiganders. I will always stand and fight to protect the people of our state — including the unborn.”

Among other changes, HBs 4949-4959 would:

• Repeal the law requiring licensing and inspection for abortion clinics to ensure proper health and safety procedures are followed. In 2013, unsafe conditions in a Muskegon clinic demonstrated the importance of proper health and safety guidelines.
• Eliminate requirements for abortion providers to report the abortions they perform and any instances of a woman facing complications or death as the result of an abortion.
• End protections that ensure women have the opportunity to provide informed consent before getting an abortion, with at least 24 hours to review information in non-emergency situations.
• Repeal Michigan’s prohibition on partial-birth abortions, although a bipartisan federal law also prevents the gruesome late-term abortion procedure.
• Allow, and in some cases require, taxpayer funding to pay for medically unnecessary abortions.

Polling conducted by Marketing Resource Group this year showed that 90% of Michigan voters support the licensing and inspection of abortion facilities for health and safety purposes. Further, 63% of Michigan voters support a 24-hour waiting period before an abortion to allow a woman to provide informed consent. The poll also found that 67% of Michigan voters support requiring parents to consent to their minor child having an abortion; Democrats decided not to attempt to repeal Michigan’s parental consent law for now, given how unpopular the move would be.