Abortion is no longer “between a woman and her doctor” in Michigan, where a judge blocked enforcement of three of the state’s pro-life laws on the basis that they now contradict a state amendment that created a constitutional ‘right’ to abortion.
On Tuesday, Judge Sima Patel of the Court of Claims placed a preliminary injunction on the state’s 24-hour-waiting period for abortion, as well as a requirement that only physicians can commit abortions. She also blocked a portion of a law that requires abortion businesses to give their clients information about adoption and depictions of the fetus. The injunctions were placed in response to a lawsuit filed by Northland Family Planning Centers and a group called Medical Students for Choice.
Patel said the waiting period “exacerbates the burdens that patients experience seeking abortion care, including by increasing costs, prolonging wait times, increasing the risk that a patient will have to disclose their decision to others, and potentially preventing a patient from having the type of abortion that they prefer.”
She also claimed the doctor requirement “exacerbates existing provider shortages, leading to large swathes of Michigan that currently lack physicians to provide abortion care.”
READ: Abortionists argue that abortion is needed so people can ‘live their fullest and best lives’
Right to Life of Michigan responded to the judge’s ruling in a statement to LifeNews.
“This decision presents an immediate threat to women considering an abortion in our state. The 24-hour waiting period and informed consent law has been in place for more than 30 years, providing women seeking an abortion with medically accurate information, including common risks associated with the procedure,” said President Amber Roseboom. “As a result of this dangerous development and disregard for patients’ rights, women in Michigan are no longer guaranteed access to important facts.”
The ruling was praised by Governor Gretchen Whitmer, who has made it her mission to expand abortion and increase the killing of her state’s preborn citizens. “By removing these barriers to reproductive health care, we will ensure Michigan is a state where you can make the medical decisions that are best for you and your family in consultation with your doctor,” Whitmer said.
However, the requirement for consultation with an actual “doctor” is now blocked — ironically, in the name of providing greater access to reproductive “health care.”
According to The Detroit News, Attorney General Dana Nessel also celebrated the decision; Nessel’s refusal to defend the state law in court meant that Assistant Attorney General Eric Restuccia argued on behalf of the people in Michigan.
The injunctions will remain in place while the lawsuit continues through the court.
