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*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE* 

August 1, 2022 

Contact: [email protected] 

 

*Gov. Whitmer Takes Immediate Action to Block Enforcement of Extreme 1931 Abortion Ban, Protect Women, Nurses, and Doctors from Swift Prosecution* 

"Governor files for restraining order to prevent Michigan county prosecutors from seeking to jail those who provide reproductive health care" 

 

*LANSING, Mich.* — Governor Gretchen Whitmer took immediate action to protect access to abortion in Michigan after the Michigan Court of Appeals ruled today that county prosecutors can enforce the state’s extreme 1931 law that criminalizes abortion without exceptions for rape or incest and punishes doctors and nurses who offer reproductive health care. The governor’s request for a temporary restraining order builds on her ongoing efforts to protect abortion in Michigan after the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in "Dobbs v Jackson" overturning a 49-year precedent set by "Roe v Wade". 

 

“Today’s dangerous decision by the Michigan Court of Appeals clears a path for county prosecutors to use Michigan’s extreme 1931 abortion ban to prosecute doctors and nurses and jail them for doing their jobs,” said *Governor Whitmer*. “That is why I have taken immediate action and filed a request for a temporary restraining order against enforcement. We cannot risk further confusion for women, health care providers, and all Michiganders. As today’s unexpected action proves, the overturn of "Roe v Wade" in June has left reproductive freedom hanging by a thread in Michigan. I have taken a number of unprecedented steps to protect the 2.2 million women in Michigan who would lose the right to control their own bodies. I will keep fighting like hell to protect women and health care providers.” 

 

The motion for a temporary restraining order can be viewed here [ [link removed] ].  

 

*Governor Whitmer’s Actions to Protect Reproductive Freedom* 


* *April 7: *Filed a lawsuit [ [link removed] ] to ask the Michigan Supreme Court to immediately resolve whether Michigan’s constitution protects the right to an abortion.   
* *April 7:* Penned an op-ed in the Detroit Free Press [ [link removed] ] explaining her action and highlighting that 7 in 10 Michiganders support the rights affirmed by Roe.  

* *May 3:* Joined 16 other states to urge the United States Senate to pass the Women’s Health Protection Act [ [link removed] ] and enshrine Roe’s protections in federal law.  
* *May 9:* Penned an op-ed in the New York Times [ [link removed] ] explaining why she isn’t waiting for Congress to act and urging fellow pro-choice governors, state representatives, private businesses, and citizens to take action to protect reproductive rights.  
* *May 25:* Signed an executive directive [ [link removed] ] instructing state of Michigan departments and agencies to identify and assess opportunities to increase protections for reproductive healthcare, such as contraception. The executive directive also instructs departments not to cooperate with or assist authorities of any state in any investigation or proceeding against anyone for obtaining, providing, or assisting someone else to obtain or provide reproductive healthcare that is legal where the health care is provided.  
* *June 23:* Launched a new consumer website [ [link removed] ] to educate Michiganders about the availability of no-cost contraception with most insurance plans.  
* *June 24:* On the day of the "Dobbs" decision [ [link removed] ], filed a motion urging the Court to immediately consider her lawsuit.  

* *June 27:* Followed up with an additional notice [ [link removed] ] to the Court urging them to immediately consider her lawsuit. 
* *June 29:* Sent a letter to Michigan’s insurers [ [link removed] ] urging them to take steps to ensure Michiganders have coverage for reproductive health care to the fullest extent possible under current coverage.  
* *July 6:* Joined with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to launch a public effort to educate Michiganders and health care providers about the difference between emergency contraception and medication abortion [ [link removed] ]. The public effort will disseminate information about the differences between medication abortion and emergency contraception to all local health departments throughout Michigan, healthcare providers throughout the state, and the public.  
* *July 7:* Called on the federal government [ [link removed] ] to clarify and protect Michiganders’ right to cross the US-Canada border to seek reproductive health care or prescription medication including medication abortion.  
* *July 11:* Urged President Biden to make birth control [ [link removed] ] available over the counter without a prescription. 

* *July 13: *Signed an executive order refusing to extradite [ [link removed] ] women or health care providers who come to Michigan seeking reproductive freedom. 
* *July 22*: Called on FDA to reduce barriers [ [link removed] ] to medication abortion. 

 

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