(Lansing)—The House Families, Children and Seniors Committee on September 25 voted to support legislation that will protect the long established relationship between the State of Michigan and faith based agencies in the field of adoption and foster care placements. Michigan Catholic Conference, the primary supporter of House Bills 4927–4928 and 4991, praised the committee for voting in support of the bills that will uphold religious liberty rights for faith based agencies and prevent discrimination against such entities. “It is vitally important for the Michigan Legislature to uphold first amendment religious liberty rights,” said Tom Hickson, Michigan Catholic Conference Vice President for Public Policy and Advocacy.
Legislation that would ensure the State of Michigan continues its partnership with faith-based child placement agencies for years into the future should be swiftly adopted, Michigan Catholic Conference stated today as House Bills 4927 and 4928 were addressed by the House Families, Children and Seniors Committee. The bills, sponsored by State Representatives Ken Kurtz and Andrea LaFontaine, recognize the conscience rights of faith-based adoption and foster care agencies and would legally protect the right for such agencies to operate according to their religious mission, as they always have.
Michigan Catholic Conference is expressing its gratitude to the State Senate for approving legislation that will reform the state’s Medicaid program by providing access to health care for low-income persons. Having testified in support of the legislation and urging its grassroots members to contact their State Senator in support of House Bill 4714, Michigan Catholic Conference has argued that health care is a basic human right that must be available to all. “Today the State Senate recognized the moral necessity of providing health care access to a greater number of uninsured residents,” said Tom Hickson, Vice President for Public Policy and Advocacy.
Michigan Catholic Conference today is expressing its appreciation to U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow and Carl Levin for their votes in support of S.744, the Border Security, Economic Competitiveness, and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013. The legislation to reform the nation’s immigration policy passed the Senate yesterday, June 27, by a vote of 68-32 and now heads to the House of Representatives for consideration. Remarks from Michigan Catholic Conference in support of the bill’s passage and the votes of Senators Stabenow and Levin are below: “Michigan Catholic Conference is appreciative of the votes of Senators Stabenow and Levin in support of comprehensive immigration reform, and commends the change in direction from where Senator Stabenow previously stood.
Michigan Catholic Conference released the following statement today regarding the United States Supreme Court decision to remand Proposition 8, the California voter-approved law that defines marriage as between one man and one woman, to a lower court based on a lack of standing: “The Court’s decision to send California’s voter-approved Proposition 8 back to the lower courts does not have an impact on the amendment to the Michigan Constitution that defines marriage as between one man and one woman. This amendment was passed with overwhelming support of the voters and Michigan Catholic Conference will work vigorously to defend that constitutional provision should there be an effort to redefine marriage in this state. We will continue to promote the truth that marriage is and can only be the union of one man and one woman, and that children have the right to both a mother and father.”
Michigan Catholic Conference (MCC) released the following comments this afternoon after the Michigan House of Representatives passed a multi-bill legislative package to simplify the adoption process in the state and to address the topic of putative fathers. The comments below may be attributed to Tom Hickson, MCC Vice President for Public Policy and Advocacy: “Simplifying and streamlining the adoption process in Michigan is a win-win policy for all parties involved, especially the birth mother and her child. By shortening both the consent duration and the supervisory requirements, this legislation will help to develop a greater sense of permanency.
Leaders of the state’s largest religious community and network of health care providers today are offering through a joint statement their guiding principles for Medicaid reform as the House Committee on Michigan Competitiveness meets to begin its discussion on proposed reform policies. Signed by Michigan Catholic Conference, Trinity Health, Ascension Health-Michigan, and OSF St. Francis Hospital & Medical Group, the statement explains that reforming Medicaid in an acceptable manner is “a noble endeavor” that will benefit future generations and the state as a whole.
It has been estimated that approximately 150 women in Michigan under the age of 18 are sold into sex trafficking each month, and Michigan Catholic Conference is applauding four members of the Michigan Senate for raising awareness to this “scourge of evil.” “Michigan Catholic Conference is supportive of and thankful for the efforts of this bipartisan legislative day to raise awareness about the horrors of human trafficking, which Blessed John Paul II referred to as a ‘scourge of evil,’” said Michigan Catholic Conference Policy Advocate Rebecca Mastee. “It is imperative to raise the collective level of consciousness in Michigan about this issue as human trafficking is an appalling crime against the fundamental rights and dignity of the human person.”
Following an order to dismiss late Friday afternoon, a federal judge has simply delayed, rather than ruling on the merits of, a lawsuit filed by the Michigan Catholic Conference (MCC) against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' objectionable services mandate. The lawsuit was filed May 21, 2012 in order to prevent the federal government from requiring MCC to include abortion-inducing drugs, artificial contraception and sterilization in its employee health benefit plan. The following is a statement from Michigan Catholic Conference President and CEO Paul A. Long.
Michigan Catholic Conference today is applauding the Senate Health Policy Committee for passing legislation that protects religious liberty rights of those who purchase health care, work in health care or operate health care institutions. The legislation now heads to the full Senate for consideration.
