Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed 16 bills into law Jan. 21, expanding reproductive rights in Michigan. Whitmer, a longtime vocal advocate for reproductive freedom in Michigan, signed the package of bills as Democrats say goodbye to their trifecta in the state government following the 2024 election. Whitmer signed the bills one day after President Donald Trump’s inauguration Jan. 20, with reproductive rights facing new threats under the incoming administration.
The bills covered a range of policy changes intended to expand access to reproductive health care. Of these bills, House Bills 5435 and 5436 aim to increase access to contraceptives specifically by allowing pharmacists to prescribe and dispense birth control and mandating coverage for these contraceptives by insurance providers.
LSA freshman Morgan Morris, a member of Students for Reproductive Rights and Justice, said she believes these new bills will help eliminate the time constraints many people face when trying to obtain contraceptives.
“I definitely think it will make it a lot easier for women Michigan residents to get the help that they need in terms of reproductive care,” Morris said. “It will take a lot less time out of the day to get that help because before, a lot of families might have had to drive long distances to even get to doctor’s appointments…having pharmacists that can directly prescribe and renew their prescriptions will streamline the process.”
According to a press release from Whitmer, these bills were put in place in response to a lack of obstetrician and gynecologist offices in Michigan, with a third of Michigan’s counties not having any OB-GYNs.
Vanessa Dalton, professor of obstetrics and gynecology, said it’s important to note that even before the package of bills was signed, OB-GYNs were not the only clinicians who could prescribe contraception. Dalton also clarified that even still, the bills still will eliminate some barriers to getting a prescription for contraception.
“While there may be a shortage of OB-GYNs, honestly, OB-GYNs are not the only people who prescribe contraception,” Dalton said. “Any primary care doctor can and any ER doctor can, and they do in a lot of cases. That does not make the shortage of OB-GYNs unimportant, but I don’t want people to think there aren’t other sources, because there are. Having said that, access to primary care to get those appointments is also a challenge for many people, and that is why having pharmacists dispense and prescribe contraceptives is very reasonable.”
Other bills signed by Whitmer include House Bills 5169, 5170 and 5171, which focus on the mental health aspect of reproductive health care. These bills require health care professionals to offer mental health screenings at follow-up appointments or well-child visits, in addition to requiring insurance companies to cover these services.
Kara Zivin, professor of psychiatry whose research focuses on maternal mental health-related issues, said these bills are important for creating standardized reproductive care and ensuring new mothers get the treatment they need.
“One of the challenges is when something isn’t mandated, it can vary a lot on who gets what kind of care,” Zivin said. “Encouraging screening and maybe even more than one screening is important to try to understand what’s going on with the mother’s mental health. Screening is sort of a first step towards getting treatment.”
House Bill 5826 focuses on the creation of $3,000 one-time scholarships for people who want to become a certified doula, someone who provides professional support to their clients before, during and shortly after childbirth.
Morris said she finds these scholarships to be hugely beneficial in allowing those from underserved communities to become doulas.
“Doula training is extensive,” Morris said. “It takes a lot of time to become a doula, and the training is really hard. I think it is really cool that the government is offering to pay for it because I feel like that’s a barrier to a lot of women who may reside in underserved communities to become doulas, which we definitely need more of.”
Zivin said doulas are an important part of the birthing process for many women, including herself. From the delivery process to postpartum care, Zivin said these scholarships for doula certification could lead to more doulas helping more women.
“If people don’t feel comfortable or safe with their healthcare providers or the health system, having another woman be there with you when you’re having a baby is helpful,” Zivin said. “I had a doula when my son was born, and she was really a lifeline for me.”
Some of the other bills in the package include bills codifying the Affordable Care Act into state law, making it easier to donate breast milk, defining and licensing birth centers and requiring insurance coverage of blood pressure monitors.
Samuel Bagenstos, a professor at the Law School and the Ford School of Public Policy as well as the former general counsel of the Department of Health and Human Service for the Biden administration, said he believes these bills will significantly improve women’s safety across the state.
“I think that the bills that Governor Whitmer signed will make a huge difference in ensuring that women across Michigan, whether they live in a place with a lot of healthcare providers or not, will be able to make safe and effective choices about their reproductive lives, both whether they want to have kids or whether they don’t want to have kids,” Bagenstos said. “And, if they want to have kids, these bills will make sure that they have a safe way to give birth.”
Daily Staff Reporter Alyssa Tisch can be reached at tischaa@umich.edu.
The post Gov. Whitmer signs 16 bills into law expanding reproductive rights appeared first on The Michigan Daily.
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