The Catholic Lawyers Society of Metropolitan Detroit joins Archbishop Vigneron in opposing Proposal 3, the so-called “Reproductive Freedom for All” amendment that would change Michigan’s Constitution, putting at risk dozens of state laws that currently protect health, parental rights, conscience rights, and prohibit late-term and partial-birth abortion. 

As an organization of Catholic lawyers, we support the right to life from conception to natural death, and we reject the idea that abortion—the deliberate killing of a child—is or should be a constitutional right. As Pope Francis puts it, “Is it legitimate, is it right, to eliminate a human life to resolve a problem?”

Those supporting Proposal 3 claim that it just returns Michigan to the days of Roe v. Wade, but as lawyers we see that it goes much farther than that—it creates a new, vague, and potentially limitless set of “reproductive rights,” “including but not limited to,” abortion, sterilization, and other procedures and services related to reproduction. And unlike laws passed by the state legislature, it would be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to undo or amend Proposal 3 if it becomes part of the Michigan Constitution. 

Laws enacted by the Michigan Legislature—including all of the laws already on the books that fully comply with Roe—would be subject to review under Proposal 3 and could be struck down by the courts because of Proposal 3. 

Here are just some possible effects of Proposal 3. It could:

• Revoke or limit restrictions on late-term and partial-birth abortions
• Under a “mental health” exception, allow abortion at any time, even after viability
• Allow school employees to help a child or teenager obtain an abortion, without the parents’ knowledge or consent
• Do away with informed consent requirements, such as a 24-hour waiting period, information on fetal development, and ultrasound viewing
• Abolish conscience protections for hospitals and doctors who refuse to perform abortions
• Allow the use of taxpayer-funded dollars to pay for abortion
• Overturn the law requiring care for babies born alive during abortion.

Our position is consistent with the teachings of the Catholic Church. We respect that not everyone shares our religious beliefs, but as lawyers we hope everyone can agree that rushing to amend the Michigan Constitution with a hasty and overbroad proposal is a bad idea—especially on an issue of such great importance. 

Michigan voters owe it to themselves to read the full text of Proposal 3 (not just the ballot summary). The Michigan Catholic Conference provides the full text and accompanying analysis here: https://www.micatholic.org/advocacy/focus/2022/protect-life-vote-no-on-proposal-3.pdf.