Michigan Court Overturns Key Abortion Restrictions Under 2022 Reproductive Freedom Amendment

A Michigan Court of Claims judge ruled that several state abortion restrictions, including the mandatory 24-hour waiting period, informed consent requirements, and the ban on advanced practice clinicians providing abortion care, are unconstitutional under the state's 2022 Reproductive Freedom for All amendment. The amendment guarantees a fundamental right to reproductive freedom, including abortion access, which cannot be burdened unless justified by a compelling state interest using the least restrictive means. Judge Sima Patel found that the waiting period and informed consent laws imposed unnecessary delays, increased costs, and compelled patients to receive potentially irrelevant and inaccurate information, thus infringing on their reproductive rights. The ruling permanently enjoins enforcement of these provisions but upheld some requirements, such as screening for coercion. The decision was hailed by abortion advocates as a victory for reproductive health access, while pro-life groups criticized it for removing protections they viewed as essential for women's safety and informed decision-making. This ruling reflects the impact of the 2022 constitutional amendment that enshrined abortion rights in Michigan and led to the overturning of several pro-life laws designed to restrict abortion access.