Governor Whitmer: Supreme Court Ruling Could Lead To Banned Abortions In Michigan
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer released a statement to the media today in the wake of the new abortion law in Texas that makes bans all abortions in the state after about six weeks of pregnancy.
Many expected the Supreme Court to rule on an emergency request to block the law from taking effect, but the court has declined to do so.
In the wake of that inaction, President Biden said on Wednesday that his administration will work to protect and defend that right and said the Texas law "blatantly violates" the constitution.
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer released her statement on Thursday afternoon, outlining her position on the matter, and clarifying how Michigan's laws could revert to criminalizing abortion in the state if the Supreme Court overturns the 1973 Roe vs Wade decision:
Texas’ new, extreme anti-choice law hurts women and threatens healthcare workers. It is a gross infringement on reproductive rights and freedoms, and the Supreme Court’s decision to allow it to stay in place functionally overturns Roe v. Wade. The insidious law essentially bans abortions, even in cases of rape or incest, and allows strangers to sue medical professionals or anyone who helps women get the healthcare they need. The impacts of this decision are potentially catastrophic for the right to choose.
In Michigan today, abortion is safe and legal, but we have an arcane law on the books from the 1930s banning abortion and criminalizing healthcare providers who offer essential reproductive services. Thankfully, that law is superseded by Roe v. Wade, which affirms the constitutional right to reproductive choice. But, if the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, a ban on abortion will go back into effect in dozens of states, including Michigan.
I have always stood with those fighting for their right to choose, and I will not stop now. I will stand in the way of any bills that seek to strip away fundamental rights from women or get in the way of doctors’ ability to do their jobs.