Lansing, Mich., Jul 19, 2019 / 13:26 pm
The Michigan Catholic Conference is urging state residents to support a petition drive for an initiative to ban "dismemberment abortions" instead of a separate petition drive that seeks to ban abortion after the detection of a fetal heartbeat.
The two competing initiatives are backed by different groups. The dismemberment abortion ban is being conducted by a group called Michigan Values Life, while the heartbeat ban is supported by the Michigan Heartbeat Coalition. The Michigan Catholic Conference and Right to Life of Michigan are both supporting Michigan Values Life.
The ban on "dismemberment abortions" would make it a felony for a physician to perform a dilation and evacuation (D&E) abortion, and the ballot initiative seeks to update the state's existing ban on partial-birth abortions.
D&E abortions are typically done in the second trimester of pregnancy and involve the dismemberment of an unborn child.