LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Additional legislation in favor of those seeking an abortion was signed into law on Monday, a decade after former state Senator Gretchen Whitmer gave a speech sharing her experience. 

The final piece of the Reproductive Health Act (RHA) was signed into law by Governor Whitmer, repealing a ban on insurance coverage for abortions without purchase of a separate rider, among other changes for patients and doctors.

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“Ten years ago today, I was in the Michigan Senate, fighting against an unconscionable anti-choice bill that would have forced Michiganders to pay extra for insurance every month just in case they were raped or had an unwanted pregnancy,” said Governor Whitmer. “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. I am proud that in just over 18 months, we have gone from the repeal of Roe v. Wade to expanding reproductive freedom in Michigan with the passage of Proposal 3 and the Reproductive Health Act. Let’s keep protecting every Michigander’s fundamental freedom to make their own decision about their own body.” 

The first group of bills in the RHA were signed into law ahead of Thanksgiving by the governor. 

“The Reproductive Health Act lowers costs for patients and providers and protects every Michigander’s constitutional right to make their own decisions about their own body,” said Governor Whitmer. “For decades, Michigan has had politically motivated, medically unnecessary restrictions on abortion in state law. These politically motivated, medically unnecessary laws criminalized doctors for providing medical care, jacked up out-of-pocket costs for patients, and imposed needless regulations on health centers, forcing many to close. The RHA repeals these laws, taking a huge step forward to expand access to health care and protect people’s personal freedoms.”  

According to the Governor’s office, the RHA would provide a number of provisions including: repealing Michigan’s Targeted Regulations of Abortion Providers (TRAP) laws, repeals a law criminalizing nurses and doctor for prescribing mifepristone, ensure students at Michigan public universities have access to accurate information about all reproductive health options, and repeal a law forcing patients to buy a separate insurance rider for abortion. 

More than 50% of Michiganders voted for Proposal 3, which enshrined the right to an abortion in the state’s constitution in November 2022. 

Before the RHA was passed with some limitations, ranking member of the House Health Policy Committee, state Representative Karen Whitsett (D-Detroit) would not budge on allowing bills that would have removed the 24-hour waiting period for an abortion, and allowed Medicaid funds for people who have an abortion. Both stipulations were removed from the bill package ahead of the vote. 

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In early November, the state of Ohio mirrored Michigan’s decision, voting to also enshrine the right to an abortion in the state’s constitution with 57% of voters affirming the decision. 

Genevieve Marnon, Legislative Director for Right to Life of Michigan offered this statement: “Under the guise of expanding abortion access, the Governor has just mandated that all Michigan taxpayers pay for other peoples’ abortions through insurance purchased on the state exchanges. Today was all about forcing Michigan taxpayers, already experiencing financial strain from inflation, to fund the Governor’s singular policy focus – abortion,” she said.

Marnon went on to say, “Do not be fooled. This bill has nothing to do with access to abortion for women who have been subjected to sexual abuse. Women in Michigan have full access to abortion up until birth for any reason whatsoever,” added Marnon.