Michigan Senate to vote on “fetal tissue” bills for no good reason

A crusade that will waste time and taxpayer money will do nothing but appease those who oppose legal abortion.

You’ve heard all the lies about Planned Parenthood — you know, the ones peddled in those deceptively edited videos that claimed Planned Parenthood sells baby parts?

Despite the fact that these allegations have been proven false in state after state, and the fact that Michigan’s Planned Parenthood clinics do not participate in the legal donation of fetal tissue for research and other medical purposes, Michigan legislators still plan to push through legislation that would make it a crime to profit from fetal tissue.

Actually, selling fetal tissue is already illegal in Michigan, under Public Act 368, but the anti-choice sponsors of Senate Bills 564 and 565 just want to make absolutely sure.

Here’s the markup of PA 368 in SB 564:

A bill to amend 1978 PA 368, entitled “Public health code,” by amending section 2690 (MCL 333.2690).

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
Sec. 2690. (1) A person shall not knowingly sell, COLLECT ANY FEE FOR, transfer, distribute, or give away an embryo, fetus, or 3 neonate for a use which THAT is in violation of sections 2685 to 2689.

A PERSON SHALL NOT KNOWINGLY FINANCIALLY BENEFIT FROM OR RECEIVE ANY TYPE OF COMPENSATION FOR THE DISTRIBUTION OR TRANSFER OF ANY PORTION OF AN EMBRYO, FETUS, OR NEONATE INCLUDING ANY ORGANS, TISSUES, OR CELLS THAT WERE OBTAINED AS THE RESULT OF AN ELECTIVE ABORTION. …

You can read the rest of SB 564 (and its companion, SB 565, which outlines criminal penalties) HERE, but you get the gist.

So never mind that it’s already illegal to profit from the transfer of fetal tissue or remains, and that two state departments in Michigan conducted investigations and publicly stated that Planned Parenthood was not mishandling fetal remains. Fetal remains aren’t a source of profit for any other abortion providers in Michigan, either.

But it’s not really about the law — or the facts — is it? Like so many legislators in other states, the sponsors of these bills would undoubtedly like to see Planned Parenthood defunded entirely, despite the essential healthcare services the organization provides to women and men. The bills’ sponsors must see these falsehood-fueled bills as a step in that direction, because why else would they waste time — and taxpayer funds — passing laws to prevent something that already isn’t happening? Well, that, and appeasing anti-choice voters.

The Michigan Senate is expected to vote on these bills as early as Wednesday.