LANSING (WWJ) – Major pieces of the Reproductive Health Act made their way out of the Michigan House Health Policy Committee on Wednesday.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer calls it “an important step forward” for the Reproductive Health Act, which is a package of 11 bills aiming to further remove restrictions on abortions in the state, a year after Michiganders voted to enshrine abortion rights in the state’s constitution.
She says it’s “common sense legislation to repeal politically motivated, medically unnecessary restrictions on abortion that criminalize doctors providing medical care, jack up out of pocket health care costs, and impose needless regulations on health centers.”
While the Health Policy Committee voted Wednesday to send six bills to the House floor, one Detroit Democrat voted against it, which could present a major hurdle for the legislation moving forward.
Rep. Karen Whitsett voted no on Wednesday and said she would hold firm on that stance unless big changes are made or a resolution is reached, according to a report from MLive.
Specifically, Whitsett says she does not support legislation within the act that would allow people to use Medicaid to pay for abortions.
"I was elected to be a voice for those who have earned the right to be heard. The elderly, poor, and infirm will always have my voice and my vote. I refuse to turn my back on them. The choice is simple - we can either fund essential care for seniors or fund elective abortions. I chose our elders today," she said in a statement, according to a report from Fox 2.
While Democrats hold the majority in both the House and Senate for the first time in four decades, Whitsett’s “no” vote could doom the package, as Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist could break a tie in the Senate, but a tie in the House means it would not pass, according to MLive.