Senators Launch Online Petition: Legislature Should Not Pass Rape Insurance Proposal Into Law

LANSING (WWJ) - Pro-choice supporters have started a non-binding online petition asking State Lawmakers to put a controversial pro-life petition on the ballot. The petition would require women to purchase extra-health insurance to cover abortions.

There is no exception in cases of rape or to save the mother's life. State Senator Gretchen Whitmer says even Governor Snyder is against the petition becoming law because he vetoed similar legislation last year.

"A strong governor could go in and dictate what the agenda is for the Republican party that he is supposed to be the leader of ... he is not doing that for some reason. I was glad to see him veto the language in the first place but we certainly could use him to step up on this right now," said Whitmer.

"Don't take away women's rights. Michigan is not an extreme state like that so we are asking people to sign our petition and say 'no, we don't want women to have to buy rape insurance,'" said Whitmer.

People need to raise their voices ... the legislature should not pass the rape insurance proposal into law - we should let the voters decide. And anyone who agrees with that - please go on-line and make your voices heard."

Lawmakers have forty days to decide whether to ignore the petition, make it law or send it to Michigan voters to let them decide.