Michigan Republican controlled House of Representatives decided to delay further chamber debate and vote regarding three Super-Anti Abortion Measures-House Bills 5711-5712-5713 on June 12th. A Michigan House vote on these measures is expected today.
John Hansen, a staffer from Michigan Democratic Floor Leader Kate Segal's (D-Battle Creek) office confirmed H.B.'s 5711-5713 are on the agenda for Wednesday, June 13, 2012 session beginning at 10:00 AM.
"The measures 5711-5713 are on agenda beginning at 10:00 AM today, with the session ending at 5:00 PM. A vote on these measures could happen anytime today, as the Democrats are not in control of the schedule. The House Republicans control the agenda because they are the majority party," Hansen stated.
On Tuesday, over 500 residents assented upon Lansing Capitol building and Rotunda area, expressing deep concern over the controversial legislative measures.
The measures were introduced to the House Committee on Health Policy by Representatives Bruce Rendon (R-Lake City), Deb Shaughnessy (R-Charlotte) and Ray Franz (R-Onekama) on Thursday, May 31, 2012, or just two weeks prior to Michigan's House Health Policy Committee's vote on Thursday, June 7th.
With unusual rapid speed, Speaker of the Michigan House Jase Bolger (R-Marshall) initially planned a vote on all three piece of legislation on Tuesday, June 12th.
ROJS News blogger Autumn Smith, wrote this Op/Ed on June 12th, highlighting that H.B.'s 5711-5712-5713 has moved in such expeditious nature that staffers in the Speaker's office were unsure of all of the previsions in the bills.
Democratic House Representative Maureen Stapleton (D-Detroit) stated after the delay in Tuesday's actions on these measures, these bills would likely be voted upon in upcoming days.
"I expect House GOP leadership will have a second and third reading of the measures either by our Wednesday or Thursday session," Stapleton cited.
If passed by the Michigan House, confirmed by the state's GOP led super-majority in the Senate and signed by Governor Rick Snyder (R) three Super-Anti Abortion measures would represent the most extreme legislation limiting pro-choice medical options for women nationwide.
The bills totaling 60 pages of legislation would end legal abortion procedures in Michigan after 20 weeks without exceptions for woman's life, fetal anomaly, in cases of rape or incest. All health facilities access providing access to family planning based medical care to have surgical rooms on site even if they do not provide surgical abortions.
Physicians would be mandated to be present for medication abortions, to screen women for "coercion" before providing an abortion, and the legislation's would create new regulations for the disposal of fetal remains. Additionally, the measures would ban "telemedicine" abortions, use of technology to prescribe medication for abortion services and the morning-after pill.
Unite Women Facebook Group Founder and Michigan resident Karen Teegarden, who attended Tuesday's protests against the measures, stated her belief that Michigan House GOP leadership intentionally delayed voting on the legislative packages to wear down synergy of Pro-Choice supporters.
"We'll be back tomorrow and if they don't vote it tomorrow, we'll be back Thursday. We did notice that there were maybe a dozen people here on the other side. They probably have a inside track on when they're vote and that's when they show up (in larger numbers)," Teegarden replied.
So when we see lots of them, that's when we'll know the day that they're going to vote. Yes, I believe this was very intentional when they saw our turnout, and I believe they're trying to wear us down."
Ann Arbor resident and student Shelley Salant asserted to Michigan's House GOP leadership were scared to take a vote on the measures, after many supporters of women's choices of reproductive health care options show up.
"Yeah I don't think they want to do the vote when people were protesting. I think they were scared. They were a lot of angry men and women in the chamber wanting to keep reproductive choices available for our health care options," Salant stated.
Salant, 22, cited her concern that Anti-Abortion measures are being debated in any Michigan's Legislative chamber, 40 years later after the historical U.S. Supreme Court decision on Roe v.s. Wade.
"I think its' completely outrageous and it sicken me that this would have even a hope of passing. We definetely need to end the Republican majority in out of Michigan. These issues should not be up for debate in 2012. It's 40 years after Roe v.s. Wade. There are many other issues to debate in Michigan," Salant replied.
Check back ROJS News continued coverage of the debate on Michigan's Super-Anti-Abortion bills 5711-5712-5713.
Tune into our weekend Political Talk podcast debriefing ROJS Radio LIVE Co-Host and Political Activist Autumn Smith, on Saturday, June 16th starting at 11:00 AM EDT, after being led out on Michigan Capitol Building for Mic-Checking Michigan's Legislative House Chamber during Tuesday's brief Anti-Abortion measures brief debate.