Press Release
NARAL Pro-Choice America Condemns Michigan Court of Appeals Ruling
For Immediate Release: Monday, August 1, 2022
Contact: [email protected]
NARAL Pro-Choice America Condemns Michigan Court of Appeals Ruling
Lansing, Michigan — Today, the Michigan Court of Appeals ruled that a preliminary injunction blocking enforcement of the state’s 1931 felony abortion ban does not apply to county prosecutors, raising the possibility that abortion providers in Michigan could soon face criminal charges for providing care. Under a Michigan court rule, the Court of Appeal’s ruling cannot take effect for 21 days, until its appeal window is over.
NARAL Pro-Choice America President Mini Timmaraju released the following statement in response:
“Today’s ruling is already causing confusion and chaos for people in Michigan who need abortion care, and for all the people coming from other states, too. It also underscores the need for a permanent answer to the question of whether the state’s constitution protects access to abortion—either by a ruling from the state’s Supreme Court, or by enshrining reproductive freedom in the constitution via ballot initiative. Either way, we know reproductive freedom champions like Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Attorney General Dana Nessel are essential to ensuring all Michiganders can continue to decide if, when and how they want to build a family, and Michigan voters need to reelect them in November to keep that right intact. ”
These actions come in the aftermath of the anti-choice supermajority on the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade in its ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. This cruel decision opened the door for extremist state lawmakers to enforce extreme bans on abortion. Roughly half of the states in the country are at risk of banning abortion, and thus far, over a dozen states have bans in place, and many more are rushing to do the same. The people hurt most by these bans and restrictions are those who already face barriers to accessing abortion care—including women; Black, Indigenous, and other people of color; those working to make ends meet; the LGBTQ+ community; immigrants; young people; those living in rural communities; and people with disabilities.
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For over 50 years, NARAL Pro-Choice America has fought to protect and advance reproductive freedom at the federal and state levels—including access to abortion care, birth control, pregnancy and post-partum care, and paid family leave—for every body. NARAL is powered by its 4 million members from every state and congressional district in the country, representing the 8 in 10 Americans who support legal abortion.