Michigan lawmakers have voted in favour of key parts of anti-abortion laws that pro-choice campaigners claim could shut down most abortion clinics in the state.
The state's House of Representatives voted by 70 to 39 in favour of the main new piece of proposed legislation on Wednesday, with two more bills still awaiting votes. The law is now set to move to the state's Senate in September and is likely to put Michigan are the forefront of America's battle over abortion rights.
The move has been described as one of the most hardline recent attempts at passing anti-abortion legislation in America and its backers have been accused of rushing the process forward without adequate public hearings.
The package of bills as a whole aims to introduce tough new insurance and licensing requirements for clinics and ban abortions that take place more than 20 weeks after conception, except for when it might save a woman's life. It also wants to regulate the use of abortion pill Mifepristone and set new guidelines for the disposal of a foetus. However, the bill covering the 20 weeks issue has not yet been voted on.
Critics of the proposals say they represents an attack on women's rights and will make abortions in the state much harder to get, potentially hurting the health of women. "A woman whose foetus is found not viable at 21 weeks will have to carry that foetus to term. That has serious ramifications for the health of the woman," said Groen.
At a hearing last week representatives from Planned Parenthood were not allowed to testify about the new law and the process was cut short by Republican health policy committee chairwoman Gail Haines. Planned Parenthood for mid- and south Michigan policy director Mehgan Groen said it was unfair that the group, and other pro-choice figures, had not been able to testify properly against the measures. "It is being rammed through as a political manoeuvre. But we should not play politics with women's health," she said.
Defenders say it will stop women from being potentially exploited by doctors and provide a tighter set of rules for the controversial procedure. The bill has been vocally supported by anti-abortion group Right to Life of Michigan (RLM) and the Michigan Catholic Conference.
Michigan's House is Republican-dominated and almost two-thirds of its members are endorsed by RLM. Some are outspoken about that support and blunt about their ultimate aims. "Until we completely eliminate abortions in Michigan and completely defund Planned Parenthood, we have work to do," said Republican state congressman Mike Shirkey in a recent television interview.
The controversy in Michigan is only the most recent political spat to break out over abortion in recent months and as November's national elections loom. Abortion rights group NARAL Pro-Choice America is tracking 235 bills in state legislatures that it says would restrict abortion. The group says a dozen have passed so far this year. High profile developments include legislation passed in Arizona to prohibit abortion after 20 weeks and Virginia requiring women seeking an abortion to have an abdominal ultrasound.