LANSING, Mich. — A petition to end dismemberment abortions in Michigan has been submitted by the Michigan Values Life coalition, according to a release from Right to Life of Michigan.
The coalition submitted 379,418 signatures believed to be legitimate to the Michigan Bureau of Elections Monday in order to initiate legislation that would ban dismemberment abortions in the state of Michigan, according to Right to Life of Michigan.
"This is a wonderful Christmas present to the unborn. Michigan values life, and it’s time for an end to these violent late-term dismemberment abortions," Right to Life of Michigan President Barbara Listing said.
The group said the legal signature requirement for citizen-initiated legislation is 340,047 in the state of Michigan, which is based on the total number of votes for governor in the previous election.
"Our committed all-volunteer force persevered through significant obstacles that kept being put in their path this year. We’ve received more than 400,000 signatures, but after thorough checking, we’ve whittled it down to our final total of valid signatures," Listing said.
Back in 2018, a change in the petition law required a change to be made in Right to Life of Michigan's time-tested validation process. The group said each petition received has been checked at least four times.
The group said the Bureau of Elections will take several weeks to determine the validity of the submitted signatures. Once enough signatures are confirmed, the legislation will be sent to the Michigan Legislature, according to Right to Life of Michigan.
After that, the legislature will have 40 days to consider the dismemberment ban.
The group said the dismemberment ban bills include an exception if the mother's life is in danger.
Planned Parenthood has released a statement to Fox 47 regarding the petition:
“The only people who should be making medical decisions about a pregnancy are the pregnant person and their doctor. We will challenge this petition every step of the way to ensure every person in Michigan has access to the care they and their doctor decide is best for them," said Angela Vasquez-Giroux, director of communications and media relations of Planned Parenthood.
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