Michigan Democrats are racing to secure legislative wins on reproductive health care and digital privacy ahead of the Republican takeover of the state House in January 2025. Governor Gretchen Whitmer and other Democratic leaders are pushing a series of bills aimed at protecting reproductive rights and ensuring the safety of sensitive digital health data.
A key focus is a bill that would safeguard reproductive health data, including information collected by menstrual cycle tracking apps. The bill, backed by state Senator Mallory McMorrow, aims to prevent data from being used to target individuals seeking abortions or other reproductive health services.
“This is an urgent matter,” McMorrow said. “We need to act while we still have a Democratic majority.”
The proposed legislation would require companies to use reproductive health data solely for providing services and mandate explicit consent for selling such data. It also includes measures to regulate geofencing—technology that targets individuals with location-based ads—preventing the use of location data to identify and target individuals visiting clinics.
Republicans have opposed the bill, arguing that its geofencing provisions infringe on free speech. Anti-abortion advocates, including Right to Life of Michigan, claim it restricts their ability to reach women with alternative messages near abortion clinics.
The Democrats’ legislative agenda includes expanding access to birth control, improving maternal health for Black women, and ensuring insurance coverage for fertility treatments such as in vitro fertilization.
Three bills to increase access to contraception have already passed the state House, and McMorrow has introduced measures to provide long-lasting contraceptives, like implants, to postpartum patients before they are discharged from hospitals.
Additionally, lawmakers are considering a package to enhance Black maternal health care, including scholarships for doulas. This initiative has already advanced to the state House.
The urgency to pass these bills stems from the incoming Republican-controlled House, which is expected to oppose progressive reproductive health policies. Democrats have achieved significant victories over the past two years, including repealing the state’s 1931 abortion ban, but the narrow legislative window is putting pressure on lawmakers.
Senator McMorrow also expressed concerns about potential federal actions under the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump, who has promised to veto any national abortion ban.
With only weeks left in the legislative session, reproductive health measures must compete with other pressing issues, including economic development, gun control, and labor rights. The contentious debates over paid sick leave and minimum wage increases could further limit the time available to pass reproductive health bills.
Despite the hurdles, Democratic lawmakers remain committed to advancing policies they believe will protect reproductive rights and ensure equitable access to healthcare for Michigan residents.
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