A coalition of maternal healthcare advocates is laying out their policy wish list for Michigan’s next legislative term.
Starting in January, Michigan Democrats will run the governor’s office, state Senate, and House of Representatives. The party last had a so-called “trifecta” from 2023-2024.
The advocates see THIS as a chance to finish some unfinished business, like passing paid family and medical leave policies and getting rid of the mandatory 24-hour waiting period to have an abortion.
Planned Parenthood Advocates of Michigan CEO Paula Thornton Greear predicts the federal support for family planning services will continue to fade in the coming years. She argues state officials need to quickly step in.
“Incremental progress that we were facing the past two years just simply will not suffice. So, we want to see real wins for Michiganders very quickly,” she said during a press conference Thursday morning in Lansing.
Thornton Greear said she has already been speaking with Gov.-elect Jocelyn Benson’s team about plans.
Unlike last time, Democrats are entering this upcoming legislative session with comfortable margins in both chambers.
That could make a difference since, in the 2023-2024 session, one lone Democratic hold out could sink any bill. That’s what happened with efforts to repeal a ban on Medicaid reimbursement for abortions and to pass policies to address racial disparities in maternal health care.
Mothering Justice executive director Danielle Atkinson said her group plans to be very involved next session in seeing campaign promises through.
“We will be visible and we will be in all of the districts talking to people who voted for a change and come election time, come coffee hours, we will be showing up to support or hold accountable,” Atkinson said.
However, even with the stronger Democratic majorities, none of these policy goals are a given.
The business community has already signaled a desire to fight proposals for paid family medical leave. And some moderate Democrats may have hesitations to do away with things like parental consent for abortions.
Concern for parental consent was a major source of criticism when a constitutional right to abortion was on the Michigan ballot in 2022. Voters still overwhelmingly approved the measure.
But it’s not clear how much further the Democrats who flipped Republican seats would be willing to go. Republicans also might not be willing to lend support.
Shanay Whittaker is with Reproductive Freedom for All, the campaign behind Michigan’s 2022 ballot measure. Her goals for next term include a state version of the federal Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, and new laws to keep Michigan abortion providers from being prosecuted for treating patients from other states with bans.
“We hope to have continuing conversation on how we can expand access to all Michiganders. To make sure we can pass the FACE Act, that we can expand the reproductive health act by removing parental consent and having a shield law in place so we can protect providers,” Whittaker said.
