Michigan: Legislative bills endanger conscience, promote abortion and contraception

Forum Online the online newsletter of The Michigan Family Forum reports:

Democratic state lawmakers have introduced a package of bills they say will help deal with the rising rate of STDs and unplanned pregnancies among teens. However, the bills will also promote abortion, sex ed programs that do not emphasize abstinence, and override the conscience rights of medical professionals.
Controversial aspects of this legislative package include:
• a provision requiring crisis pregnancy centers to “provide medically accurate and objective information about the wide range of options, including abortion services”
• amending the state public schools code to mandate “abstinence-plus” sex education
• a bill mandating that pharmacists distribute medications prescribed by a doctor, even if it violates their religious, ethical, or moral beliefs (such as RU-486 or the “morning after” pill).

“We don’t think a pharmacist should sit in judgment on a prescription a doctor has prescribed and that is in their patient’s best interest,” said Rep. Rebekah Warren (D-Ann Arbor), one of the bill’s sponsors.

“Michigan Family Forum will be closely monitoring this package of bills,” said Research and Public Policy Director Dan Jarvis. “It’s unlikely that it will make much headway because many of the controversial aspects will face stiff bi-partisan opposition.”