Michigan Legislature approves anti-genital mutilation bills
Doctors and parents involved in female genital mutilation could go to prison for up to 15 years under bills overwhelmingly approved Tuesday by lawmakers in Michigan, who said harsher penalties are needed in a state where the first federal prosecution of the practice is ongoing.
Gov. Rick Snyder is expected to sign the legislation, which would make Michigan the 26th state to ban female genital mutilation. It has been a federal crime for 20 years, punishable by five years in prison.
Legislators said the federal penalty is not severe enough and the Michigan bills would also apply to parents or others who knowingly facilitate genital mutilation, including by transporting girls to another state for the procedure.
"We can't have Michigan be a destination for this heinous act, this criminal activity, this suppression of women's rights, this oppression of young girls," said a bill sponsor, Republican Rep. Klint Kesto of Oakland County's Commerce Township.
Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/michigan-legislature-poised-genital-mutilation-bills-48158010