'This decision is a tragic reminder that the normalization of abortion in Michigan exists to the detriment of some 31,000 children every year.'
(LifeSiteNews) — A Michigan judge has struck down long-standing state laws that had been put into place to protect women by requiring informed consent and a 24-hour waiting period before proceeding with an abortion, declaring that the laws violate the state’s constitution.
The May 13 ruling also invalidates another requirement that only licensed physicians perform abortions.
State Court of Claims Judge Sima Patel ruled that the laws conflicted with an amendment to Michigan’s Constitution passed by voters in 2022 — known as Proposal 3, the so-called Right to Reproductive Freedom Initiative (RRFI) — which enshrined abortion up to birth.
The ballot measure followed just a few months after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade. The measure likely met with success thanks to having been promoted by a leftist lobby group associated with billionaire George Soros, which donated $4.5 million to the campaign to insure its passage.
Michigan abortion providers then sued the state last year to overturn remaining laws in order to provide unencumbered abortion access.
"The mandatory delay exacerbates the burdens that patients experience seeking abortion care, including by increasing costs, prolonging wait times, increasing the risk that a patient will have to disclose their decision to others, and potentially forcing the patient to forgo a medication abortion for a more invasive procedure," wrote Patel in her 83-page opinion.
Judge’s ruling is ‘Bad news for women’“Today the broader public is seeing more clearly that the intent of the 2022 ballot proposal was not to ‘protect what was legal under Roe,’ but rather to grant constitutional protections to an industry that places itself above the health and safety of women and the lives of pre-born children,” said Paul A. Long, president and CEO of Michigan Catholic Conference in a statement.
“This decision is a tragic reminder that the normalization of abortion in Michigan exists to the detriment of some 31,000 children every year who will never have the opportunity to experience the gift and blessings of life,” said Long. “Now, more than ever, we encourage others to envision a world where human life at every stage—from conception to a natural end—is truly cherished and protected, where expecting mothers are supported with love and care and have access to maternal needs, regardless of the circumstance of the pregnancy.”
“This court ruling is bad news for women," said Genevieve Marnon, Right to Life of Michigan's legislative director. "At a time when abortion complications are on the rise, eliminating standardized informed consent about procedures, potential risks, and alternatives is a serious disservice to women.”
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer ‘overjoyed’ with quick abortionThe Wolverine State’s elected Democratic officials were thrilled with this week’s ruling.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer, a staunch abortion supporter, said she was “overjoyed” by Judge Patel’s decision.
“For years, Michiganders have faced obstacles when seeking reproductive care. From a 24-hour waiting period before accessing abortion to a ban on advanced practice clinicians providing care, these rules have put politicians between a woman and her doctor,” wrote Whitmer in a post on X.
“I’m overjoyed to say that the Michigan Court of Claims has seen these restrictive provisions for what they are: an unconstitutional overreach that infringes on our constitutional right to make our own reproductive health decisions,” she added.
"This ruling affirms what Michiganders made clear when they voted to enshrine a fundamental right to reproductive freedom in our state constitution: that deeply personal medical decisions belong to individuals and their providers," said Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, also a virulent abortion supporter.
‘Immediate threat’“The Michigan Court of Claims ill-fated ruling is an immediate threat to the health and safety of women across our state. The overturn of informed consent for women considering an abortion flies in the face of both common-sense medical practice and the democratic process,” asserted Right to Life Michigan President Amber Rosebloom.
“Abortion is the only medical procedure of its kind in which the patient now is expected to go in blind. There is no question that women are at greater risk when they enter an abortion clinic in Michigan today than they were even a few years ago,” said Rosebloom.
“The timing of this decision could not be more concerning, as the state faces an unprecedented spike in serious complications from abortion, up 38% in just one year,” she added.
