State bill
would
prohibit
welfare
abortions

LANSING (UPI)-The Senate, after heated debate yester-
day, sent a bill banning welfare-funded abortions in Michigan
to a committee where it likely will receive a warm reception.
The Senate voted 21-13 to send the House-passed bill to the
Senate Appropriations Committee where most members op-
pose state funding of abortions for poor women.
THE BILL WOULD bar the use of state funds for the
procedures except when necessary to save the life of the
mother. It also establishes a $225,000 Office of Abortion
Alternatives within the Department of Social Services.
Gov. William Milliken, who nine times since 1978 has
vetoed legislative attempts to end welfare abortions funding,
already has said he will veto this bill as well.
Sen. Edward Pierce (D-Ann Arbor), an advocate of letting
women choose whether they want abortions, lost his bid to
have his Senate Health and Social Services Committee con-
sider the bill.

The Michigan Daily-FFiday, May 8, 1981-Page 5
PIERCE ARGUED the bill should be sent to his committee
for consideration because it primarily contains matters of
"public policy."
Several of Pierce's committee members promised their
Senate colleagues they would give the matter quick con-
sideration, but a doubting Sen. Gil DiNello (D-East Detroit)
said "if that bill goes to that committee, we'll never see it
again."
Senate Democratic Leader William Faust of Westland,
who decides which committee will consider legislation, said
because the bill contains funding for theabortion alter-
natives office it should receive appropriations committee
review.
Last year, the majority of Pierce's committee members
favored state funding for abortions and refused to act on bills
banning welfare abortions. Recent membership changes
have resulted in committee majority favoring a funding ban.