Gretchen Whitmer on Abortion

	Gretchen Whitmer on Abortion

Abortion clinics deemed "essential" during pandemic shutdown

A lawsuit has been filed against Whitmer for keeping abortion clinics open as "essential" businesses during the coronavirus pandemic while sending 15 officers to shut down the speech of pro-life protesters. "While most businesses were forced to shut down as a result, the governor has refused to order abortion centers in Michigan to close even though abortion is an elective procedure," the legal team explained. Source: WorldNetDaily on 2022 Michigan Governor race , Apr 5, 2020

End 24-hour waiting period; fund Planned Parenthood

Q: Abortion: Ban or legal? Support Michigan's 1931 pre-Roe law that criminalizes abortion?

Bill Schuette (R): Ban, except for incest, rape, & life of the mother. Enforce state prohibitions.

Gretchen Whitmer (D): Legal. End 24-hour waiting period & pre-Roe ban, protect in state law.

Q: Contraception: Allow employers to withhold contraceptive coverage from employees if disagree with it morally? Stance on related family planning funding?

Schuette: Yes. Views as attack on religious liberty.

Whitmer: No. "We've seen attack after attack" on reproductive healthcare. Require insurance companies to cover contraceptives. Restore low-income family planning funds.

Q: Allow Planned Parenthood public funds for non-abortion health care?

Schuette: No. Joined lawsuit to prohibit Planned Parenthood from receiving funding.

Whitmer): Yes. Restore funding so can provide screenings and checkups, contraception, and maternity care.

Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Michigan Governor race , Oct 9, 2018

Will stop anti-choice legislation

Whitmer said she would work to stop anti-choice legislation and "continue to protect the investments that we make in our local public health offices-education for young people, access to birth control." Whitmer hopes Democrats take back the Michigan House but said, "if necessary, I have got the backbone of titanium to hold the line on further attacks eroding women's health care." Source: Rewire News on 2018 Michigan Governor race , Nov 1, 2017

Support Planned Parenthood

Restore funding to Planned Parenthood so that women and men have access to preventative care like screenings and checkups, contraception, and maternity care. Source: 2018 Michigan Gubernatorial website GretchenWhitmer.com , Nov 1, 2017

Spoke of being raped in opposing "rape insurance" bill

Legislators were trying to ban private insurance companies from covering abortion care, forcing women to pre-purchase extra insurance. Reproductive-rights advocates called it a "rape insurance" bill. Whitmer lambasted the bill in an address that included the story of her own rape. "It's something I've hidden for a long time," Whitmer continued. "You need to think of the girls that we're raising and what kind of a state we want to be where you would put your approval on something this extreme." Source: Slate e-zine on 2018 Michigan Governor race , Jan 5, 2017

No insurance riders to get an abortion covered

Whitmer served in the House from 2001-2006, and in the Senate from 2006-2014, where she became a frequent voice of opposition to Republican policies.

When she told her personal story of being raped more than 20 years ago during a 2013 speech on the Senate floor to illustrate her opposition to a bill that would require people to buy an additional rider to their insurance to get an abortion covered, Whitmer got national attention and a stronger voice on issues surrounding women's health concerns.

Source: Lansing State Journal on 2018 Michigan Gubernatorial race , Jan 3, 2017

Don't make partial-birth abortion a criminal offense

Legislative Summary:The partial-birth abortion ban act: An individual who knowingly performs a partial-birth abortion and kills a human fetus is guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for up to 2 years, or a fine up to $50,000.00, or both. It is not a violation if, in the physician's reasonable medical judgment, a partial-birth abortion is necessary to save the life of a mother whose life. The spouse of the mother at the time of the partial-birth abortion, or either parent of the mother if the mother has not attained the age of 18, may file a civil action against the physician.

Legislative Outcome: Sen. Whitmer voted NAY; passed Senate 29-8-1, Sept. 21; passed House 75-34-0, Sept. 28; signed by Gov. Snyder, Oct. 11

Source: Michigan Legislative voting records on SB160 , Sep 21, 2011

Click here for definitions & background information on Abortion. Click here for a summary of all issue stances of Gretchen Whitmer. Click here for a Wikipedia profile of Gretchen Whitmer. Click here for a Ballotpedia profile of Gretchen Whitmer. Click here for VoteMatch responses by Gretchen Whitmer. Click here for issue positions of other MI politicians. Click here for MI primary archives. Click here for MI secondary archives.
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Page last updated: Feb 10, 2021