Governor Gretchen Whitmer has signed a package of bills aimed at protecting the rights of women to access reproductive healthcare in Michigan. Known as the Reproductive Health Act, this legislation repeals laws that restricted access to abortion care and ensured that patients had access to certain types of reproductive care.
One of the most significant measures in this bill is the repeal of Michigan’s TRAP laws, which imposed specific restrictions on abortion providers. These restrictions included rules about hallway width, ceiling heights, and janitor closets, which increased costs and decreased the number of providers available to the people of Michigan. By repealing these regulations, more women will have greater access to safe and affordable reproductive care.
In addition to repealing the TRAP laws, this legislation also overturned a 1931 law that criminalized healthcare providers for prescribing abortion medication. This is the most common way abortions are performed, and by removing this restriction, more women will have access to safe and legal abortion care.
Furthermore, a law that required abortion patients to buy separate insurance riders for abortion was also repealed. This law forced people to pay more out of pocket just in case they were assaulted. By removing this requirement, women who need abortions will have greater financial security and be less likely to delay or forego treatment due to cost concerns.
Governor Whitmer emphasized that the passage of Proposal 3 was a significant factor in passing this legislation. She stated that it enshrined abortion rights in the state constitution with 56.65% of the vote. The new legislation will lower costs for patients and providers while protecting every Michigander’s constitutional right to make their own decisions about their own body. She highlighted politically motivated and medically unnecessary restrictions that have been in place for decades and expressed that this legislation is a step forward in expanding access to healthcare and protecting people’s personal freedoms