Whitmer repeals more restrictions on abortion access in Michigan
LANSING, Mich. (FOX 2) - Michigan laws that required patients to purchase insurance before an abortion, mandated certain restrictions on facilities that provide the procedure, and criminalized the practices of prescribing the medication mifepristone have been repealed.
The Michigan governor authorized the repeals on Monday, signing the final components of the Reproductive Health Act that had cleared the legislature earlier this year.
Along with ensuring accurate health information is available to students at public universities, the latest round of lawmaking was first introduced by the governor earlier this year. They finish out a busy year of lawmaking for Michigan Democrats.
Whitmer previously railed against the rule that mandated someone who had planned on receiving an abortion pay separate insurance ahead of time when she was a lawmaker. As Michigan Senate minority leader, she argued against the "anti-choice bill" when it was passed 10 years ago by state Republican lawmakers.
"I shared my own story as a survivor of sexual assault and noted that any decision about a woman’s body ought to be hers alone. Exactly ten years later, I am proud to be repealing that same bill as governor," she said in a statement.
Whitmer signs Reproductive Health Act protecting, ensuring abortion access
"We’ve been fighting to protect abortion in Michigan for years," Whitmer said. "Roe v. Wade was repealed last year and our fight took on a whole new urgency."
Along with the insurance requirement repeal, the RHA also removes so-called TRAP laws, or targeted restrictions on abortion providers that critics say place burdensome rules on facilities that offer the procedure.
Planned Parenthood of Michigan previously named the laws' repeal as one of its top priorities.