Abortion profiteering is disgusting.

The Michigan Senate recently approved legislation that would make it illegal in Michigan to financially benefit in any way by selling or distributing a fetus or any fetal tissue obtained from an elective abortion.

I have always held the belief that all human life is worthy of love and protection. It is not something to be bought and sold. I co-sponsored these measures to send a clear message that Michigan respects human life.

Senate Bill 564 would prevent a person from financially benefiting from or receiving any compensation for the distribution or transfer of an embryo, fetus or neonate (newborn child) that was obtained as a result of an elective abortion. SB 565 would prescribe a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

The bills only apply to elective abortions, which does not include the use or prescription of a drug or device as a contraceptive, the termination of a pregnancy to save the life of the mother, or the treatment of a woman who is experiencing a miscarriage or has an ectopic pregnancy.

The introduction of the bills followed revelations last year that Planned Parenthood affiliates nationwide were attempting to sell body parts of aborted babies.

Their actions demand not only our outrage, but also our action.

It is truly unfortunate that this legislation is even necessary to ensure that the body parts of aborted babies are not sold for profit.

The videos showing officials talking about prices of fetal tissue showed us that not everyone places the same value on human life that we expect in Michigan.

I would hope that we could all agree that profiting off the sale of aborted baby parts is wrong. These bills will help ensure that it never happens in our state.

 

Sen. John Proos, R-St. Joseph, represents Southwest Michigan.