Michigan considers tax credit for fetuses
Two House bills under consideration would give tax credit for fetuses past 12 weeks gestation and comes after the state slashed a bill for tax credits for children last year.
LANSING, Mich. - Republicans in Michigan held a hearing on Tuesday to discuss House Bills 5684 and 5685 in the Tax Policy Committee, which would give a tax credit for unborn fetuses past 12 weeks of gestation, according to Slate.
The legislation would "which would 'allow taxpayers to claim a dependency exemption for a fetus that has completed at least 12 weeks of gestation as of the last day of the tax year and that has been under the care and observation of a physician since at least 12 weeks of gestation,'" Slate reported.
The proposed tax exemption would be the first of its kind in the country. This comes after the state eliminated a tax credit for children.
"Michigan Republicans took the hatchet to the Earned Income Tax Credit and childcare subsidy, a move that directly hurts families who are trying to house, clothe and feed children unfortunate enough to have developed beyond the fetal stage into the living, breathing person stage," Slate said.
A representative of the Michigan Family Forum, which supports the bill, told Michigan Live it could translate into $160 in savings that could be used for prenatal care or other purposes.
Critics say the measure is divisive and said it "appeared to be a move to lay the groundwork to fight against abortions," MILive said.
To read more, go to Slate's XXfactor blog.
