Flemming Fellows Steer Contraceptive Coverage Question Away from Abortion Debate

Contraceptive coverage hadn’t been popular in Michigan’s socially conservative House until Representatives Martinez and Godchaux took it on. Michigan Representatives Lynne Martinez and Patricia "Pan" Godchaux, graduates of CPA’s Flemming Fellows Institute, worked together this session to argue for an amendment encouraging contraceptive coverage in a community college budget bill.

Godchaux and Martinez’s amendment encourages community colleges to ensure that their insurance plans cover preventative contraceptives.

Godchaux staffer Susan Safford attributed the success of the amendment to their ability to change the focus of the debate. In the past, Michigan’s discussion of contraceptive coverage centered on whether health insurance plans should allow abortions.

"They were able to move the debate away from abortion and toward preventing unintended pregnancies," says Safford.

Godchaux and Martinez, with Representative Judith Scranton, gained the votes of eight Appropriations Committee members who are not pro-choice, and the amendment passed with four votes more than a majority.

Their amendment is not the first time Godchaux (Flemming `98), a Republican, and Martinez (Flemming `96), a Democrat, have collaborated; they cosponsored bills in this session and in 1998. Martinez says of her colleague, "Pan is not afraid to cross the aisle to seek assistance. She understands broad-based consensus."

Before her House service, Martinez was a county commissioner for nine years. Godchaux, a longtime civic activist, started her political career as a nine-year school board member.