Dear Friend,

On Monday, I signed the Michigan Family Protection Act, a package of commonsense, long overdue changes to repeal Michigan?s ban on surrogacy, protect families formed by IVF, and ensure LGBTQ+ parents are treated equally under the law.

Here in Michigan, we believe that decisions about if, when, and how to have a child should be left to a family, their doctor, and those they love and trust?not politicians. If we want more people and families to ?make it? in Michigan, we need to support them with the resources they need to make these deeply personal, life-changing choices.

The Michigan Family Protection Act will make it easier for Michiganders to start a family, save time and money on government paperwork, and be treated equally under the law. The package repeals an unjust ban that made Michigan the only state in the nation to criminalize paid surrogacy contracts, and better protects surrogates, parents, and children.

Your family?s decisions should be up to you, and my legislative partners and I will keep fighting like hell to protect reproductive freedom in Michigan and make our state the best place to start, raise, and grow your family.

The Michigan Family Protection Act

? ? ? ? ? 1. Repeal Michigan?s Ban on Surrogacy

Until now, Michigan was the only state in the nation?1 of 50?to criminalize paid surrogacy contracts. Our outdated law prescribed up to a year of jail time and a $10,000 fine for using a surrogate. These bills will repeal that unjust ban and better protect surrogates, parents, and children. They ensure that you have the freedom to start your family without political interference.

? ? ? ? ? 2. Protect IVF

Last month?s ruling by the Alabama Supreme Court, the recent lawsuit by Right to Life Michigan, and bills introduced in state legislatures across the nation put IVF at risk. IVF allows millions of Americans to have children every year and must be protected. This package ensures every child born by surrogacy or with assisted reproductive technology (including IVF) is treated equally under the law.

? ? ? ? ? 3. Ensures LGBTQ+ Parents Are Treated Equally?

Every family in Michigan deserves the same treatment when trying to start a family. The bills I signed ensure that LGBTQ+ families are treated equally and eliminate the need for them to go through a costly and invasive process to get documentation confirming their parental status. Even if they move to a state that does not respect these basic rights, these bills help ensure they cannot be denied their relationship with their child.

Protecting Reproductive Freedom

Extreme politicians in other states are putting themselves in your doctor?s office, between private decisions that should be left to your family. And in the years since the overturn of Roe, they?ve gotten bolder.

In Texas, lawmakers banned abortions with zero exceptions for rape or incest. Last month, Arizona Republicans blocked a proposal to protect birth control, and in Alabama, the state Supreme Court placed IVF in jeopardy. Just last week, the United States Supreme Court heard arguments in a case attempting to ban mifepristone, a common abortion and miscarriage drug.?

Recently in our state, Right to Life Michigan filed a lawsuit to repeal Proposal 3, threatening access to IVF, prenatal care, and other reproductive health care.???

Not on my watch. In Michigan, we got your back.

I took swift action, filing a motion to dismiss their ridiculous lawsuit.?

Michiganders voted overwhelmingly for Proposal 3 in 2022, enshrining the right to reproductive freedom in our state?s constitution. It also protected the right to prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, contraception, sterilization, abortion, miscarriage management, and infertility treatment, like IVF.?

With our new majority in the Legislature, we have also repealed our 1931 abortion ban and enacted the Reproductive Health Act, expanding reproductive health care.?

The Michigan Family Protection Act is another step towards keeping the decisions about if, when, and how to have a child between you, your doctor, and your family.?

I will keep fighting like hell to protect reproductive freedom in Michigan and make our state the best place to start, raise, and grow your family.

Sincerely,

Gretchen Whitmer

Governor