Whitmer's Actions Shake Up Michigan's Abortion Landscape

Governor Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan has signed a series of bills that aim to codify abortion rights into state law and repeal measures that restrict access to abortion. The bills largely repeal requirements for abortion clinics to be licensed as freestanding surgical centers, known as "TRAP laws," which opponents argue impose unnecessary building code requirements. However, the main piece of legislation that codifies the language of a constitutional amendment and repeals several current regulations was delayed for signing. The final package falls short of the initial sweeping changes proposed, as it does not include Medicaid funding for abortions, repeal mandatory screening for coercion, or repeal the state's 24-hour waiting period for abortions.