Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Michigan Judge Maintains Legality Of Abortion In The State — For Now
AP: Judge Extends Order That Keeps Abortion Legal In Michigan
A Michigan judge on Wednesday extended an order that bars county prosecutors from enforcing a 1931 ban on abortion. Oakland County Judge Jacob Cunningham agreed after lawyers for Gov. Gretchen Whitmer argued that pulling the plug on his Monday order would cause chaos around the state. “If you need one, you need one today or very, very soon,” Assistant Solicitor General Linus Banghart-Linn said of abortion services. “We don’t want more confusion.” (White, 8/3)
In abortion updates from Texas —
ABC News: Dallas City Council Committee Passes Resolution To Limit Impact Of Texas Abortion Law
A Dallas City Council committee passed a resolution Tuesday looking to limit the impact of Texas' strict abortion law. The council's Quality of Life, Arts, and Culture Committee voted to adopt the ordinance, which directs law enforcement to make investigating or prosecuting any allegation related to abortion outcomes their lowest priority. (Kekatos and DiMartino, 8/3)
Houston Chronicle: Texas Health Programs Report 21% Drop In Longterm Birth Control
The number of low-income people accessing highly effective forms of contraception in Texas health programs dropped for the second straight year, according to new data covering the fiscal period that ended last August, just as the state’s new six-week abortion ban took effect. Use of intrauterine devices and contraceptive implants fell by 21 percent from the previous fiscal year in Healthy Texas Women and Family Planning, the two state-administered programs for reproductive health services. It was down about 30 percent overall from fiscal year 2019. (Blackman, 8/4)
The Texas Tribune: Mexico Volunteer Networks That Aid At-Home Abortions Are Coming To Texas
Hi, I’m four weeks pregnant. Eight weeks. Six weeks. The stream of pings and messages through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and WhatsApp reach Sandra Cardona Alanís at her home in this mountainous region of northern Mexico. She is an acompañante and a founder of Necesito Abortar México, a volunteer network that has helped thousands of people across Mexico access abortion, usually at home, by providing medication and support. (Ura and Díaz González Vázquez, 8/4)
Related news from North Carolina, Iowa, and Indiana —
The Charlotte Observer: NC’s Attorney General Josh Stein Vows To Defend Abortion Access
Amid an ongoing legal battle over a law banning abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy, N.C. Attorney General Josh Stein vowed Wednesday to do everything “in my power” to protect reproductive freedom in the state. During a press conference at the N.C. Department of Justice, Stein said he would continue to speak against efforts to restrict abortion access in the state. He urged abortion rights supporters to vote in the legislative election this November for Democratic candidates who would try to block Republican abortion bills from becoming law. (Bajpai, 8/3)
AP: N. Carolina AG Defends Recusal In 20-Week Abortion Ban Case
North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein repudiated Republican General Assembly leaders’ allegations Wednesday that he neglected his duty to defend state law by refusing to seek enforcement of a blocked 20-week abortion ban after the fall of Roe v. Wade. Attorneys for Senate Leader Phil Berger and House Speaker Tim Moore filed a brief last week asking U.S. District Judge William Osteen to lift an injunction on a 1973 state law banning nearly all abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy. (Schoenbaum, 8/3)
Des Moines Register: Iowa Abortions Dropped For Most Of Decade Before Roe V. Wade Overturn
There were fewer Iowa abortions in 2021 than in 2020, marking the first time in three years that the annual number of abortions has decreased in the state. Iowa Department of Public Health spokesperson Sarah Ekstrand said there were 3,761 abortions in Iowa in 2021, according to preliminary data. That's down about 7% compared to 2020, when 4,058 abortions were performed in the state. (Akin, 8/3)
Indianapolis Star: Indiana Abortion Law: Schools Are Not Required To Teach Sex Ed
For two weeks, Indiana lawmakers have been locked in debate about how to reduce the number of abortions performed in the state. The current proposal would ban all abortions, except in cases of rape, incest, fatal fetal anomalies or when the life of the pregnant person is at risk. So far, though, lawmakers haven’t considered a strategy that research shows can be effective in reducing the number of unintended pregnancies and, thus, the number of abortions – teaching young people how to prevent pregnancy. (Herron, 8/4)
