Michigan repeals abortion ban as Kansas passes ‘Born Alive’ bill, tightens rules

Apr 06, 2023

Karah Rucker Reporter/Producer

By Karah Rucker (Reporter/Producer), Stacey Chamberlain (Editor/Digital Producer)

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States are continuing to make their own decisions on abortion since Roe v. Wade was overturned in the summer of 2022. Some states are expanding access and rights to an abortion, while others are limiting, banning the procedure, or inserting state laws to protect unborn children.

The latest decisions coming down are in Michigan and Kansas. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer just signed a bill to repeal an abortion ban that was enacted back in 1931.

The bill also struck down a law that makes advertising abortion drugs illegal, and no longer classifies abortion-related offenses as felonies.

Voters in Michigan enshrined abortion rights in the state’s constitution after the measure was placed on November’s midterm ballot. Overall, the measure expanded abortion rights.

Meanwhile in Kansas, voters similarly passed a measure in the midterms that protected abortion access, but state lawmakers have passed the “Born Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act” with a veto-proof majority. The bill is intended to humanely care for infants who survive abortion procedures.

While the Kansas Republican-controlled legislature is not blocking abortion access, it is tightening laws surrounding how abortion providers carry out the procedure.

18 other states have passed similar laws requiring doctors to try and save infants born alive during a labor-and-delivery abortion.

Since the overturning of Roe v. Wade, dozens of legal battles have erupted across the U.S. courts, and many of them are still playing out. The Supreme Court’s decision to strike down Roe has sent states into a frenzy to secure their stances on abortion.

Tags: Abortion, Gretchen Whitmer, Kansas, Michigan, Roe v Wade

KARAH RUCKER: STATES ARE CONTINUING TO MAKE THEIR OWN DECISIONS ON ABORTION SINCE ROE VERSUS WADE WAS OVERTURNED LAST SUMMER. SOME STATES ARE EXPANDING ACCESS AND RIGHTS TO AN ABORTION – WHILE OTHERS ARE LIMITING OR BANNING THE PROCEDURE OR INSERTING STATE LAWS TO PROTECT UNBORN CHILDREN.

THE LATEST DECISIONS COMING DOWN THIS WEEK ARE IN MICHIGAN AND KANSAS.

MICHIGAN GOVERNOR GRETCHEN WHITMER JUST SIGNED A BILL TO REPEAL AN ABORTION BAN THAT WAS ENACTED BACK IN 1931.

THE BILL ALSO STRUCK DOWN A LAW THAT MAKES ADVERTISING ABORTION DRUGS ILLEGAL – AND NO LONGER CLASSIFIES ABORTION-RELATED OFFENSES AS FELONIES.

VOTERS IN MICHIGAN ENSHRINED ABORTION RIGHTS IN THE STATES CONSTITUTION AFTER THE MEASURE WAS PLACED ON NOVEMBER’S MIDTERM BALLOT. OVERALL – EXPANDING ABORTION RIGHTS.

MEANWHILE IN KANSAS – VOTERS SIMILARLY PASSED A MEASURE IN THE MIDTERMS THAT PROTECTED ABORTION ACCESS. STATE LAWMAKERS PASSED WITH A VETO-PROOF MAJORITY A “BORN ALIVE” LAW INTENDED TO HUMANELY CARE FOR INFANTS WHO SURVIVE ABORTION PROCEDURES.

WHILE THE REPUBLICAN-CONTROLLED LEGISLATURE IS NOT BLOCKING ABORTION ACCESS – THEY ARE TIGHTENING LAWS SURROUNDING HOW ABORTION PROVIDERS CARRY OUT THE PROCEDURE.

18 OTHER STATES HAVE PASSED SIMILAR LAWS REQUIRING DOCTORS TO TRY AND SAVE INFANTS BORN ALIVE DURING A LABOR-AND-DELIVERY ABORTION.

SINCE THE OVERTURNING OF ROE VERSUS WADE – DOZENS OF LEGAL BATTLES HAVE ERUPTED ACROSS U.S. COURTS – MANY OF THEM STILL PLAYING OUT.

THE SUPREME COURT’S DECISION TO STRIKE DOWN ROE HAS SENT STATES INTO A FRENZY SECURING THEIR STANCES ON ABORTION.