LANSING, Mich. — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed legislation Wednesday to repeal the 1931 abortion ban that would have banned abortion without exceptions for rape or incest in Michigan.
Doctors and nurses who perform abortions could have been charged with felonies under the law. The new bipartisan legislation signed Wednesday removes the ban from Michigan's books and prevents it from ever being enforced.
This comes after Proposal 3, which enshrined abortion rights in the state's Constitution, passed by a wide margin during the 2022 Midterms.
“In November, Michiganders sent a clear message: we deserve to make our own decisions about own bodies,” said Gov. Whitmer. “Today, we are coming together to repeal the extreme 1931 law banning abortion without exceptions for rape or incest and criminalizing nurses and doctors for doing their jobs. Standing up for people’s fundamental freedoms is the right thing to do and it’s also just good economics. By getting this done, we will help attract talent and business investment too. I will continue to use every tool in my toolbox to support, protect, and affirm reproductive freedom for every Michigander, and I’ll work with anyone to make Michigan a welcoming beacon of opportunity where anyone can envision a future.”
After Roe v. Wade was overturned in June 2022, the law could have been enforceable. A series of injunctions and restraining orders issued by Michigan judges kept it from being implemented. Attorney General Dana Nessel previously said she would not have enforced the law, calling it "outdated, dangerous and cruel."
Michigan is now the 10th state to protect abortion rights following the overturn of Roe v. Wade.
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