Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Michigan Governor Signs Reproductive Health Act Codifying Some Abortion Rights
The Detroit News: Whitmer Signs Bills Deregulating Some Aspects Of Abortion In Michigan
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Tuesday signed into law a series of bills that aim to codify abortion rights into Michigan law and repeal measures that abortion advocates say inhibit access to the medical procedure of terminating a pregnancy. The Reproductive Health Act would put the language of the Reproductive Freedom For All constitutional amendment, Proposal 3 of 2022, in state law and make a variety of additional repeals and changes to existing Michigan abortion law. (LeBlanc and Livengood, 11/21)
AP: Democratic Division Blocks Effort To End Michigan’s 24-Hour Wait For An Abortion
Michigan Democrats, who early this year had built on the state’s recent reputation for safeguarding abortion rights, have stalled on the once-assured effort due to dissent within the state legislative caucus in recent months. Two key pieces of legislation that would have repealed a 24-hour wait period required for patients receiving an abortion and also allowed state Medicaid dollars to pay for abortions were left out of a package signed Tuesday by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. (Cappelletti, 11/21)
AP: Physicians, Clinic Ask Judge To Block Enforcement Of Part Of A North Dakota Abortion Law
Physicians and the former, sole abortion provider in North Dakota on Tuesday asked a judge to block enforcement of part of a revised law that bans most abortions, saying a provision that allows the procedure to protect a woman’s health is too vague. North Dakota outlaws all abortions, except in cases where women could face death or a “serious health risk.” People who perform abortions could be charged with a felony under the law, but patients would not. (Dura, 11/22)
Bloomberg Law: Idaho Asks US Supreme Court To Permit Abortion Law Enforcement
Idaho requested the US Supreme Court let it enforce a near-total abortion ban, pending appeal of a decision that found the ban makes it impossible for hospitals in the state to comply with a federal emergency care law. Attorney General Raúl Labrador Monday filed an emergency application to stay an injunction that prevents the state from imposing penalties on physicians who perform abortions in emergency situations, except when necessary to save the pregnant person’s life. (Pazanowski, 11/21)
ABC News: Virginia Democrats Propose Amendment To Guarantee Abortion Access After Winning General Assembly
After winning full control of the state's General Assembly two weeks ago, Virginia Democrats are wasting no time exercising their power. On Monday, the party introduced four bills including legislation to create a constitutional amendment that would codify abortion access in the state. "Virginia voters sent a message on Nov. 7 that they want Virginia to remain an open and welcoming state that honors individual freedom, privacy and economic opportunity for all of its residents," said Scott Surovell, the majority leader for the Virginia Senate. (Romero, 11/21)
Also —
Mother Jones: Mexico Has Become A Haven For Americans Seeking An Abortion
One last-minute round-trip flight from Biloxi, Mississippi, to Cancún, Mexico, runs about $171 USD; three nights at a three-star hotel there can cost as little as $129. A three-day car rental in the resort town rings in at just $20 per day. And the price for one surgical abortion at MSI Reproductive Choices’ Cancún clinic would be about $350. The total cost for a trip to Cancún to access reproductive health services no longer available in some American states? $710. (Vesoulis, 11/22)
KFF Health News: Anti-Abortion Groups Shrug Off Election Losses, Look To Courts, Statehouses For Path Forward
Anti-abortion groups are firing off a warning shot for 2024: We’re not going anywhere. Their leaders say they’re undeterred by recent election setbacks and plan to plow ahead on what they’ve done for years, including working through state legislatures, federal agencies, and federal courts to outlaw abortion. And at least one prominent anti-abortion group is calling on conservative states to make it harder for voters to enact ballot measures, a tactic Republican lawmakers attempted in Ohio before voters there enshrined the right to abortion in the state’s constitution. (Pradhan, 11/22)
