Michigan Judge Strikes Down Key Abortion Restrictions

A Michigan Court of Claims judge ruled that the state's 24-hour abortion waiting period, informed consent requirements, and restrictions on advanced practice clinicians performing abortions are unconstitutional under Michigan’s 2022 Reproductive Freedom for All amendment. The decision maintains the requirement for providers to screen for abortion coercion. Governor Gretchen Whitmer and abortion rights advocates praised the ruling for removing barriers to abortion access, while anti-abortion groups argued it could harm women's health. In related national developments, the South Carolina Supreme Court upheld its strict six-week abortion ban, and a New Jersey appeals court affirmed the state's Freedom of Reproductive Choice Act. These rulings highlight the ongoing division in abortion laws across the U.S. following the Dobbs decision. The Michigan ruling may still face appeal.