LANSING, MI -- Michigan's next big abortion battle may play out at summer fairs, farmers markets and churches.

Right to Life of Michigan, promoting a measure vetoed last year by Republican Gov. Rick Snyder, is in the midst of a statewide petition drive for legislation that would prohibit public and private health insurance policies from including abortion coverage unless a woman, her family or her employer purchases an optional rider.

The nonprofit, which expects to collect 350,000 signatures in 100 days, is hoping to see its bill approved by the Legislature and enacted into law later this year. The citizen-initiated measure would not be subject to a gubernatorial veto, and legislative approval would eliminate the possibility of a public vote.



"We've been successful (with petition drives) in the past," said Pam Sherstad, director of public information for Right to Life of Michigan. "We're a statewide organization that works in communities across Michigan, and we've had an enthusiastic response to this effort."

In a recent online training seminar, Right to Life told volunteers how to properly fill out petitions, talk to reluctant residents, get permission to collect signatures at their church and work at high-traffic public events, such as fairs or markets.

"When you're collecting signatures, the focus should be on collecting as many as quickly as possible, not debating abortion with someone who doesn't want to sign," political action committee director David Malone said during the webcast. "Every minute spent arguing with pro-abortion individuals is a minute spent not getting signatures from people who want to sign."

Planned Parenthood of Michigan, which sees the effort as an attack on women's health care, is not sitting idly by. The organization's nonprofit advocacy wing has launched a statewide educational tour. Volunteers are knocking on doors, asking Michigan residents to pledge their opposition and "decline to sign" the petition.

"We're just trying to get information out to the public about what this petition would actually do," said Megan Groen, director of government relations. "A lot of people don't know it applies to private insurers. They don't understand there's no exception for rape or incest. People are shocked by how extreme this proposal is."

'NO TAXES FOR ABORTION INSURANCE'

The Michigan Board of Canvassers approved Right to Life's petition form in May, giving the nonprofit and its allies 180 days to turn in 258,088 valid signatures. The group plans to collect more signatures in less time, suggesting it is in a race against the clock.

Beginning next year, many Michigan residents may qualify for subsidized insurance through an online marketplace set up under the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as "Obamacare." If those policies include abortion coverage, Right to Life argues, taxpayers will be indirectly funding the controversial procedure.

The petition drive is officially titled "No Taxes For Abortion Insurance."

Debate over abortion provisions nearly derailed the federal health care reform effort in 2010, with Michigan Democratic Rep. Bart Stupak playing a key role. In the end, the Affordable Care Act, along with an executive order signed by President Barack Obama, reinforced existing statutes prohibiting federal funds from being used for abortion services and extended those restrictions to the health exchanges.

The law also included an "opt out" rule allowing states to prohibit abortion coverage in qualified health plans offered through an exchange. As of October 2012, at least 17 states had adopted "opt out" laws, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Five others already had laws that applied to private policies.

Right to Life, equating subsidized health insurance with abortion funding, wants Michigan to join that smaller group. Its proposal would apply to all insurance policies in Michigan, whether they are sold through the health exchange or private marketplace. It would prohibit abortion coverage except through the purchase of a supplemental rider. Employers who choose to add the optional coverage would be required to notify all employees of that decision.

"The reality is that abortion is not health care," Sherstad said. "Working with people throughout the state, we're hearing that a lot. People don't want their health insurance premiums, and then their tax dollars, to pay for someone else's abortion. This gives people a choice. They can purchase a rider to have abortion coverage if they want it."

Planned Parenthood argues that the name of the petition drive misleadingly implies a relationship between tax dollars and private insurance, and it is unnecessary because existing law already prevents federal dollars from funding abortion.

The legislation, according to the organization, would limit health care options for women by requiring them to purchase supplemental coverage for abortion that is currently included in most private policies, resulting in a separate and distinct cost not incurred by men.

"People make assumptions that they have comprehensive care, and that's what insurance is for," Goen said. "The option of purchasing a rider is pretty much a false promise. A woman doesn't anticipate an unplanned pregnancy, and she's certainly not going to anticipate being raped."

THE GOVERNOR AND BALLOT BOX

Michigan law allows citizens or groups to "initiate" legislation through a petition drive. To do so, they must collect signatures from enough voters to match 8 percent of those who participated in the last gubernatorial election.

Upon certification of those signatures, the measure is sent to the Legislature. If lawmakers approve the measure within 40 days, it becomes law. If not, it goes before voters in the next statewide election.

Right to Life of Michigan, citing the pending health exchanges, does not want to wait for voter approval in 2014. And they have good reason to believe that the Republican-led Legislature will approve the measure if it reaches them: They've done it before.

CITIZENS INITIATIVE

How it's done:

"In order to exercise the right to initiate legislation (initiative), a citizen or group must secure, on petitions, the signatures of registered electors in an amount not less than 8 percent of the total vote cast for all candidates for governor at the last gubernatorial election.

What the Legislature can do:

"…The legislature has 40 days from the time it receives the petition to enact or reject the proposed law or to propose a different measure on the same question. If not enacted, the original initiative proposal and any different measure passed by the legislature must go before the voters as a ballot proposal.

How often it's happened:

"...There have been five instances of the legislature approving initiatives proposed by the citizens, which eliminated the need for the measures to go before voters. These citizen-initiated and legislature approved acts were 1964 PA 2, 1987 PA 59, 1990 PA 211, 2004 PA 135, and 2006 PA 325.

Source: 2009-10 Michigan Manual

Last year, the state House and Senate each approved legislation that included similar abortion language. But Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder vetoed the bill, calling it one of the toughest decisions of his tenure. The first-term Republican said he supported the provisions as they applied to coverage purchased on the federal health exchange but believed the measure went too far in two ways.

"First, it treats situations that involve rape, incest and health of the mother as elective abortions," Snyder told residents. "I don't believe it is appropriate to tell a woman who becomes pregnant due to a rape that she needed to select elective insurance coverage. Second, the abortion changes in this bill interfere in the current private market for insurance. Insurance companies and private buyers of insurance should be able to conduct their own affairs."

The citizens initiative process could cut Snyder out of the equation. The measure, if approved by either the Legislature or voters, could not be vetoed.

While Right to Life expects Republican lawmakers to act quickly and approve the measure, House Speaker Jase Bolger indicated it would not necessarily be a top priority.

"The House has voted on this issue and my yes vote shows where I stand on the issue," he said. "However, I am more focused now on raising the value of life through ideas that unite us rather than divide us. For example, to reduce abortions we should increase adoptions, which is why the House recently passed comprehensive adoption reform to make it easier for loving families to adopt children.

"Citizens' initiatives are not a vehicle for legislators to drive a discussion but instead to listen to citizens as they express their individual voices on a specific policy item. I will listen to the public as they weigh in on this issue, but I plan to mainly stay focused on making Michigan a better place for workers to advance their careers."

Jonathan Oosting is a Capitol reporter (and today, an amateur historian) for MLive Media Group. Email him, find him on Google+ or follow him on Twitter.