Whitmer Signs Bills Expanding Reproductive Freedom, Contraceptive Care

MICHIGAN — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed 16 bills that will expand reproductive freedom in Michigan on Tuesday, according to the governor's office.

"These bills will save women time and money so they can access the birth control they need and cut unnecessary red tape that stands between people and their health care," Whitmer said. "Whether you’re getting ready to start a family or figuring out which contraceptive option is best for you, I’ll fight to make sure you have the freedom to make that choice. Together, let’s keep fighting like hell to protect reproductive rights."

Here are the 16 bills and what they do:

House Bills 5435 and 5436 - Allow a pharmacist to directly prescribe birth control and require insurers to cover the contraceptives.

House Bill 5636 - Support maternal health outcomes in Michigan by defining and providing licensure of freestanding birth centers, which provide midwifery care, reproductive and sexual health care, and newborn and postpartum care.

House Bill 5826 - Support Michigan’s doulas by creating a doula scholarship program that will award one-time scholarships of up to $3,000; these scholarships will cover the cost of doula training for Michigan residents, who show financial need.

House Bill 5956 - Prohibit discrimination against a health care provider who is acting within the scope of that provider's license or certification

House Bill 5166 - Reinforces the State’s commitment to reducing disparities in maternal and newborn health care by continuing support for the State’s Perinatal Quality Collaboratives (PQC).

House Bill 5172 - will establish a program to designateperinatal facilities according to the level of care they offer. These standardized criteria will help women identify a facility that matches the risk level of their pregnancy, providing them with the information they need to choose a safe, supportive birthing environment.

House Bills 5167 and 5168 - Improve maternal health resources by requiring health insurance coverage of blood pressure monitors for pregnant and postpartum women.

House Bills 5169, 5170, and 5171 - Expand mental health services for postpartum individuals, supporting Michigan’s mothers and their families and allow medical professionals to provide mental health resources to their patients, such as a referral.

House Bill 4728 - Will support families that rely on donor breast milk by making it easier for individuals to donate.

House Bill 5173 - Requires hospitals to provide information on the health insurance enrollment process for newborns.

House Bill 5825 - Reinforce Affordable Care Act (ACA) protections in Michigan by requiring health insurers to issue rebates to their customers if they fail to meet minimum spending requirements on patient care, a threshold known as medical loss ratio (MLR).

House Bill 4224 - Repeals workforce requirements for the Healthy Michigan Plan which a federal court ruled was unlawful in 2020.