Detroit — The Michigan Catholic Conference is focusing attention on proposed and possible state legislation in the areas of protection of human life, education and marriage, as well as how state budget proposals affect the poor and vulnerable.

Representing all seven dioceses in the state and chaired by Archbishop Allen Vigneron, the Lansing-based MCC is the public policy voice of the Catholic Church in Michigan.

MCC Communications Director Dave Maluchnik said the major priority for 2012 would be “supporting legislation (S.B. 612-14) that would prohibit abortion in the soon-to-be-created state insurance exchange that is a byproduct of federal healthcare reform.”

He said the conference will work to see that no public funds will be used to support abortion, and that such coverage could only be purchased as a separate rider outside the exchange.. The legislation is due for a vote on the Senate floor.

The MCC is also supporting legislation (H.B. 4798 and 4799) that deals with the problem of women or girls being coerced into having an abortion by their spouse, boyfriend, relative or employer. Those bills are currently in the House Families, Children and Seniors Committee.

Another bill (S.B. 135) would prohibit an underage girl from seeking a waiver to have an abortion from another judge if one judge has already denied her one. This bill was already passed by both houses of the Legislature, but was vetoed by former Gove. Jennifer Granholm.

In education-related matters, Maluchnik said the conference is the primary supporter of a package of bills that expand choice in public education, with one bill seeking to increase the number of school districts and intermediate school districts that will accept students from outside the district’s boundaries when space permits (S.B. 624).

Other proposed legislation in the package (S.B. 622, 623, 709 and 710) would make it easier for students at non-public high schools to take classes offered at community colleges, abolishing the current requirement that they be enrolled for at least one non-core course at a public high school.

Yet another bill (S.B. 621) would generally ease the setting up of shared time educational opportunities by which non-public school students receive some portion of their non-core education from public school teachers.

“The Catholic Conference advocates that parents are the primary educators of their child. We believe these bills would result in a more robust public school system in the State ofMichigan, while at the same time streamlining policies that affects non-public schools,” Maluchnik said.

While several bills in the education package are moving through the legislative process, the school choice bill remains “bottled up” in a senate committee, he said, adding that the MCC would like to see it reported out of committee and brought to the senate floor for a vote.

Another package of bills addresses the institution of marriage, one (S.B. 547) by requiring that any petition for divorce must include a plan that spells out how any children would be affected, and another (S.B. 546)) that would reduce to three days (from 28 days) the waiting time for a marriage license if the couple has completed pre-marriage counseling.

Maluchnik said the divorce rate for couples who have gone through pre-marriage counseling is only about 20 percent versus 51 percent for those who haven’t.

Both bills currently await consideration by the Senate Judiciary Committee.

While the MCC will be on the alert for any anti-immigrant legislation, he attributed the lack of such proposals to the strong statement issued last year by Michigan’s bishops.

The development of the state’s budget is always a concern for the MCC, Maluchnik explained, with the MCC hoping that funding for programs for the poor and vulnerable will at least be maintained at current levels.

He said the conference will oppose cuts to programs “for those who need help the most.”