Bills Making It Illegal To Buy Fetal Tissue Passes Senate Panel

Legislation to make it illegal to pay for parts of an aborted fetus or embryo cleared a Senate Committee Thursday.

It would be a felony punishable by up to five years in prison for violators of the legislation.

Bill sponsor, Senator Phil Pavlov, says he wants to make sure fetal tissues are not sold for profit in Michigan.

However, Shelli Weisberg of the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan, opposes the bills saying they would ban reimbursement costs for obtaining fetal tissue for medical research.

She also says the legislation would criminalize hospitals paying waste management companies for disposal of fetal tissue.

Pavlov doesn’t agree, he says disposal is allowed under state law.

The bills now head to the full Senate.