Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed a package of measures on Wednesday to repeal a 1931 law that pro-life critics say protected viable unborn babies from late-term abortions.
The Michigan House and Senate, both controlled by a narrow two-seat Democratic majority, voted last month to repeal the state’s long-standing abortion ban before sending it to the governor’s desk.
The bill faced staunch opposition from the majority of Republicans, who spoke out against the legality of abortion as a whole.
Whitmer, a Democrat, called the nearly 100-year-old ban “extreme.” She was joined by abortion activists from Planned Parenthood and Emily’s List at the bill signing.
In a statement after a bill signing outside of Detroit, Whitmer acknowledged a citizen-led ballot initiative in which Michiganders voted to enshrine abortion as a right in the state’s Constitution. The governor said they sent a “clear message” with their votes.
“Today, we’re going to take action to make sure that our statutes and our laws reflect our values and our constitution,” Whitmer said.
In a further written statement, the governor said repealing the ban was “good economics” and “will help attract talent and business investment.” She said she would use “every tool in my toolbox” to keep fighting for abortion rights.
The governor’s office noted in the statement that the “decision to become a parent or grow a family is one of the biggest economic decisions a person will make in their lifetime.”
‘Ideologically Driven Obsession With Abortion’
Whitmer’s signature on the bill package has been criticized by opponents who argue that the repeal demonstrates the Democratic governor’s “ideologically driven obsession with abortion at all costs.”
Right to Life Michigan President Barbara Listing decried the bill signing.
“Today is a dark day for women in our state and for unborn children nearing birth,” Listing said in a statement.
“Cloaking the elimination of long-standing, common-sense health and safety protections in the mantra of ‘women’s rights’ demonstrates the extreme nature of the Governor’s abortion activism,” she said.
