Today Michigan Lieutenant Governor Brian Calley signed into law the Fetal Organ Trafficking Ban. Right to Life of Michigan applauds Lt. Gov. Calley and the Michigan Legislature for taking action to prevent abortion clinics profiteering from the sale of babies' body parts.
Right to Life of Michigan President Barbara Listing said, "The undercover videos showing Planned Parenthood haggling over the broken bodies of developed babies rightly disgusted our nation. Trafficking in human body parts has no place in the state of Michigan."
Federal and Michigan law bans tissue trafficking, but a loophole allows tissue traffickers to compensate abortion clinics. Vague language together with federal officials friendly to abortion meant that abortion clinics could successfully evade the law.
The Center for Medical Progress first began releasing their undercover footage in July of 2015. Throughout the process Planned Parenthood has denied all accusations, despite incriminating statements caught on video. Their staff repeatedly engaged in sales discussions, discussed ways to disguise the profiteering, and indicated a willingness to change abortion procedures to procure fresher organs.
Michigan's new ban is comprised of two bills. S.B. 564 prohibits the exchange of any form of compensation for fetal tissue or organs. S.B. 565 describes the legal penalties for engaging in the trade of fetal tissue or organs. The bills received bi-partisan support, including some legislators in the Michigan House who generally support abortion.
Listing said, "We welcome the opportunity to work with anyone who can agree with us on a particular issue. Most people broadly agree that buying and selling human body parts is beyond the pale."
Michigan's new ban will still allow organ and tissue donations to proceed, but no longer can abortion businesses abuse the spirit of the law by profiting from such donations.
Listing said, "For years Planned Parenthood successfully kept their organ trafficking behind closed doors, but now it's coming to an end thanks to the public hearing them talk about it in their own words."
The Fetal Organ Trafficking Ban ends another successful prolife legislative session in Michigan. Earlier in 2016 the Rape Survivor Child Custody Act and the Coercive Abortion Prevention Act were also signed into law. No pro-abortion legislation received any serious consideration in the Legislature in 2015-2016.
Listing said, "In January we're looking forward to starting another successful legislative session for advancing the protection of all human life."
