Public Act 168 of 2011

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• Introduced by Sen. Arlan Meekhof (R) on February 17, 2011, to prohibit “partial birth abortions” as defined in the bill, unless in a physician's reasonable medical judgment a partial-birth abortion is necessary to save the life of a mother whose life is endangered by a physical disorder, physical illness, or physical injury. The bill does not specify a "health of the mother" exception. Violation would be subject the abortion provider (but not the mother) to up to two years in prison and a $50,000 fine; the father could sue the physician for damages (but could not sue the mother). The bill contains a detailed list of “legislative findings” regarding this practice.
  • Referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee on February 17, 2011.
    • Reported in the Senate on March 3, 2011, with the recommendation that the bill pass.
  • Substitute offered in the Senate on September 20, 2011, to replace the previous version of the bill with one that removes the list of "legislative findings," and just includes the actual provisions of the proposed new law, minus the associated commentary. The substitute passed by voice vote in the Senate on September 20, 2011.
  • Amendment offered in the Senate on September 20, 2011, to establish that if passed the bill will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2012. The amendment passed by voice vote in the Senate on September 20, 2011.
  • Amendment offered by Sen. Rebekah Warren (D) on September 21, 2011, to create an exemption from the proposed partial birth abortion ban "when a physician is treating a pregnancy loss". The amendment failed by voice vote in the Senate on September 21, 2011.
  • Amendment offered by Sen. Vincent Gregory (D) on September 21, 2011, to exempt pregnancies that are the result of incest or rape from the proposed partial birth abortion ban. The amendment failed 9 to 27 in the Senate on September 21, 2011.
    Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
  • Amendment offered by Sen. Rebekah Warren (D) on September 21, 2011, to establish in statute that "every individual has a fundamental right to contraceptives". The amendment failed 9 to 27 in the Senate on September 21, 2011.
    Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
  • Amendment offered by Sen. Rebekah Warren (D) on September 21, 2011, to limit the proposed ban to pregnancies in the "post-viability" stage, defined as, in the judgment of a doctor, "there is reasonable likelihood of the fetus’s sustained survival outside the uterus without the application of extraordinary medical measures". The amendment failed by voice vote in the Senate on September 21, 2011.
  • Amendment offered by Sen. Glenn Anderson (D) on September 21, 2011, to add a "health of the mother" exception to the proposed partial birth abortion ban. The amendment failed 9 to 27 in the Senate on September 21, 2011.
    Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
  • Amendment offered by Sen. Rebekah Warren (D) on September 21, 2011, to strip out the bill's "severability" clause, which establishes that if one part of the proposed law is ruled unconstitutional, the rest of it remains in effect. The amendment failed by voice vote in the Senate on September 21, 2011.
• Passed 29 to 8 in the Senate on September 21, 2011, to prohibit “partial birth abortions” as defined in the bill, unless in a physician's reasonable medical judgment a partial-birth abortion is necessary to save the life of a mother whose life is endangered by a physical disorder, physical illness, or physical injury. The bill does not specify a "health of the mother" exception. Violation would be subject the abortion provider (but not the mother) to up to two years in prison and a $50,000 fine; the father could sue the physician for damages (but could not sue the mother).
  Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
• Received in the House on September 21, 2011.
  • Referred to the House Families, Children, and Seniors Committee on September 21, 2011.
    • Reported in the House on September 27, 2011, with the recommendation that the following amendment be adopted and that the bill then pass.
  • Amendment offered in the House on September 27, 2011, to establish that the proposed law does not create a "right" to an abortion, which would still be subject to state regulations and limitations. The amendment passed by voice vote in the House on September 27, 2011.
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Lisa Brown (D) on September 27, 2011, to limit the proposed ban to pregnancies in the "post-viability" stage, defined as, in the judgment of a doctor, "there is reasonable likelihood of the fetus’s sustained survival outside the uterus without the application of extraordinary medical measures". The amendment failed by voice vote in the House on September 27, 2011.
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Joan Bauer (D) on September 27, 2011, to create an exemption from the proposed partial birth abortion ban "when a physician is treating a pregnancy loss". The amendment failed by voice vote in the House on September 27, 2011.
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Dian Slavens (D) on September 27, 2011, to add a "health of the mother" exception to the proposed partial birth abortion ban. The amendment failed by voice vote in the House on September 27, 2011.
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Maureen Stapleton (D) on September 27, 2011, to exempt pregnancies that are the result of incest or rape from the proposed partial birth abortion ban. The amendment failed by voice vote in the House on September 27, 2011.
• Passed 75 to 34 in the House on September 28, 2011, to prohibit “partial birth abortions” as defined in the bill, unless in a physician's reasonable medical judgment a partial-birth abortion is necessary to save the life of a mother whose life is endangered by a physical disorder, physical illness, or physical injury. The bill does not specify a "health of the mother" exception. Violation would be subject the abortion provider (but not the mother) to up to two years in prison and a $50,000 fine; the father could sue the physician for damages (but could not sue the mother).
  Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
• Received in the Senate on September 28, 2011.
• Passed 29 to 9 in the Senate on September 28, 2011, to concur with the House-passed version of the bill.
  Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
• Signed by Gov. Rick Snyder on October 11, 2011.