Michigan Governor Says Pro-Lifers Won’t Find Override Votes
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
October 14, 2003
Lansing, MI (LifeNews.com) — Pro-abortion Gov. Jennifer Granholm (D-MI) said on Monday that she doesn’t think pro-life lawmakers will be able to find enough votes to override her veto of legislation designed to ban partial-birth abortions.
The Senate voted 25-11 in September to send the bill to Granholm — one short of the 26 needed to override a governor’s veto. The House approved the bill 74-28 in May, exactly the number needed for an override.
Since the legislation originated in the Senate, that chamber must begin the override process.
Bill Nowling, spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Ken Sikkema (R) said Republican Senate leaders were reviewing the veto message on Monday and haven’t decided whether to hold a vote to override the veto.
The state legislature has until the end of the 2004 legislative session to override the veto.
If a veto override vote isn’t done or is not successful, pro-life groups may look to a ballot initiative to put the law on the books.
"Right to Life of Michigan will initiate a citizens’ petition drive bypassing the governor," the organization said in a statement to supporters.
The petition drive would need 325,000 signatures and, if successful, would provide legislation for the Michigan House and Senate to pass. Once approved by the state legislature, the bill would not need to go to Granholm for her signature and would not need to be approved on a ballot by the general public.
After courts declared two previous partial-birth abortion bans unconstitutional, pro-life lawmakers crafted the Legal Birth Definition Act that redefines the moment of birth as any time when at least part of the body of an unborn child exits the womb.
Since a child is partially born when the abortion procedure is performed, the baby would be declared legally born alive at that point and having a right to proper medical treatment
The Legal Birth Definition Act is Senate Bill 395.
Related web sites:
Right to Life of Michigan – https://www.rtl.org
