The Michigan House of Representatives voted today to repeal the outdated 1931 criminal abortion ban. House Bill 4006, sponsored by state Rep. Laurie Pohutsky (D-Livonia), repeals the ban from Michigan Penal Code of 1931. HB 4032, sponsored by state Rep. Stephanie A. Young (D-Detroit), would eliminate the ban from the state’s Code of Criminal Procedure to legalize the procurement of abortion medication. State Rep. Jenn Hill (D-Marquette) issued the following statement in support of the repeal.
“Since the overturning of Roe v. Wade, people across the central Upper Peninsula have been demanding protection for their personal rights and freedoms. Today, we are one step closer to achieving that goal. I’m proud of the work being done in Lansing to safeguard bodily autonomy across Michigan, and I will continue to advocate for this legislation until the governor signs it into law.”
“House Democrats promised to deliver on the policies that matter to Michiganders. The people of Michigan voted to ensure access to reproductive healthcare is protected by the Michigan Constitution and our state laws should reflect the will of the voters,” said Speaker of the House Joe Tate (D-Detroit). “It is a historic day. Eliminating the archaic state law that criminalizes abortion care illustrates that lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are united in serving the people of this state. Even more importantly, this Democratic-led effort protects reproductive health care choices and individual freedoms.”
House Bill 4006 directly repeals the 1931 abortion ban. HB 4032 removes a reference to the ban from the Code of Criminal Procedure.
“Today, we did what the voters sent us here to do — protect their rights to make the reproductive health decisions that are right for them, without government interference or threat of prosecution,” said Speaker Pro Tem Laurie Pohutsky (D-Livonia), chair of the Progressive Women’s Caucus and sponsor of HB 4006. “It is long overdue that we restore the liberties that Michiganders had for decades and restored in November.”
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