Sign the petition and make your voice heard.
The very first post I wrote for Eclectablog was about Senate Bill 136, the “Religious Liberty and Conscience Protection Act.”
This bill would allow healthcare providers, facilities and insurers to refuse to provide or cover “objectionable” healthcare services on religious or moral grounds.
As I explained in that post and two that followed, this bill is dangerous and discriminatory. It puts all the power in the hands of healthcare providers or facilities who might have religious or moral objections to performing a particular service — taking away patients’ choices about their own care and offering no protection for their rights.
What’s more, the bill is so vaguely worded that it could create an environment where healthcare providers and institutions could discriminate against patients if they find their lifestyles, personal choices or beliefs “objectionable.”
Citizens across Michigan and beyond are so concerned about this bill’s implications that they created and signed a petition asking the Senate to vote NO on SB 136. They have the support of many religious entities and healthcare providers who agree the bill should never become law. This bill hasn’t been brought to the Senate Floor yet, but it could come up for a vote any day.
The petition opposing SB 136 is being delivered to the Michigan Senate this week — so now is your last chance to speak out. Please sign it before 4 p.m. on Tuesday, May 21, so your voice can be heard.
[CC photo credit: Terry Alexander | Flickr]
