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Michigan Senate votes to repeal state's ban on abortion

Michigan Capitol
Posted at 3:26 PM, Mar 08, 2023
and last updated 2023-03-08 16:37:42-05

(WXYZ) — The Michigan Senate has voted to repeal the state's abortion ban which dates back to the 1840s. The vote came along party lines.

The Senate is voting on a package of four bills regarding the abortion ban. Two of them have been passed by 20-18 vote, effectively passing a repeal of the ban in the upper chamber of the Michigan legislature. Voting on the other two is expected to come Wednesday evening.

The state House voted on a similar repeal last week. However, both bodies must now consider the other chamber's bills before they can head to Governor Whitmer's desk for her signature. Whitmer campaigned on repealing the ban in her re-election campaign.

Attorney General Dana Nessel has released the following statement about the Senate votes:

Today’s repeal of this antiquated law is a victory for millions of Michigan residents who, like myself, value bodily integrity and personal freedom. I am grateful that our legislators are listening to the will of the voters who passed Proposition 3 this past fall with overwhelming support. The people of this state can rest assured that their elected officials will not sit idly by in the wake of Roe v. Wade being overturned, and will fight to ensure that residents’ health, safety, and wellbeing is safeguarded from harmful legislation.