Tagged: abortion

House Bill 4187 was introduced by state Rep. Joel Johnson (R-Clare).

It would require that a woman have a "diagnostic ultrasound examination of the fetus at least two hours before an abortion is performed."

Today, State House Speaker Jase Bolger (R-Marshall) announced the House wouldn't take it up.

More from MPRN's Jake Neher:

Bolger says his chamber will not approve any bills requiring women to have a transvaginal ultrasound when seeking an abortion.

He says a bill in the state House goes too far. Ari Adler is a spokesperson for House Speaker Bolger.

"The speaker is very interested in making sure that women have the latest technology available to them for their support, but he is not in support of requiring a transvaginal ultrasound in order for a woman to have an abortion," said Adler.

House Democratic leader Tim Greimel applauded the move. He called the procedure invasive, unnecessary, and unwarranted.

State lawmakers have re-introduced legislation that would limit the ability of insurance companies to cover abortions.

The measure would only allow insurers to cover elective abortions through optional rider plans.

Republican state Senator Mark Jansen says many people do not want that kind of coverage automatically included in their plans.

“If I’m an employee, and this is the big issue nationally, why should I be paying for something that seems to be something that many of us morally disagree with?”

The measure was included in legislation last year that sought to overhaul Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.

Governor Rick Snyder vetoed that bill because he thought the abortion language went too far. He said it’s not the state’s job to decide what kinds of plans insurance companies can offer.

The Blue Cross legislation has also been reintroduced without the abortion language. It passed unanimously in the state Senate last week.

The state Senate Thursday unanimously passed an overhaul of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.

The measure was unexpectedly vetoed by Governor Rick Snyder last month because it included some controversial abortion language. Lawmakers recently reintroduced the legislation without the abortion measure.    

State Senator Joe Hune said he expects it to take longer for the bills to get through the House.