The provisions vetoed Sept. 29, according to the Detroit Free Press, include $10 million to develop “factual educational information materials on adoption as an alternative to abortion”; $1.5 million for pregnancy resource centers; $1 million for pregnant and parenting services at colleges and universities; and $50,000 for the health department to inform the public that it does not use taxpayer dollars to fund any elective abortion.
Whitmer also axed about $700,000 in the Michigan budget for pregnancy and parenting support that went to Real Alternatives, a Pennsylvania-based nonprofit that has since 1996 provided counseling for pregnant woman on alternatives to abortion, as well as material help such as baby formula and diapers to mothers up to 12 months after they give birth.
The program expanded its operations to Michigan beginning in June 2014, working mainly through local Catholic Charities affiliates, with the backing of the Michigan Catholic Conference.
According to Real Alternatives’ estimates, the Michigan program has served 8,240 women at 31,958 support visits since 2014. The state has appropriated $3.3 million to the program since its inception.
Maluchnik noted, however, that some items that Whitmer kept in the budget are laudable, including increased administrative funding for foster care providers and per diem rates for adoption agencies, human trafficking victim services, funding to maintain the annual clothing allowance for low-income children in the Family Independence Program, and others.
Michigan recorded nearly 30,000 abortions performed in 2020, the most in the state since 1996, but still 40% fewer than the peak of 49,000 in 1987, the Free Press reported.
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