Key takeaways:
- Michigan Legislature passed House Bill 4006, repealing a 1931 law that criminalized abortion drugs in the state.
- The repeal of the law was in response to the Supreme Court’s oral arguments in Dobbs back in December 2021.
- The repeal of the law is a proactive step to protect abortion rights in the state, in contrast to other red state governors.
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has taken proactive steps to protect abortion rights in the state, following signals from conservative justices that the Supreme Court was likely to overturn Roe v. Wade.
On Wednesday, the Michigan Legislature passed House Bill 4006, repealing a 1931 law that criminalized abortion drugs in the state. The bill passed the state House by a 58-50 margin on March 2, and the state Senate by a 20-18 margin less than a week later.
The repeal of the law was in response to the Supreme Court’s oral arguments in Dobbs back in December 2021, when conservative justices all but confirmed they were ready to overturn the federal right to an abortion. In anticipation of the ruling, Governor Whitmer expressed gratitude that state legislators were listening to their constituents, whose voted successfully passed Proposition 3 in November, enshrining abortion in the state constitution.
The repeal of the 1931 law is a proactive step to protect abortion rights in the state, in contrast to other red state governors who have pushed even-more-extreme but still unenforceable abortion bans.
The repeal of the law is a victory for abortion rights advocates in the state, and a sign that Governor Whitmer is committed to protecting the rights of Michigan citizens.
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