Bills act as state level defense to protect access to reproductive care

 

LANSING, Mich., May 27, 2025 — The Senate Civil Rights, Judiciary, and Public Safety Committee took up testimony recently on Senate Bills 154 and 155. The House version of these bills are House Bills 4133 and 4134, sponsored by state Rep. Laurie Pohutsky (D-Livonia), Progressive Women’s Caucus chair. Specifically, this legislation would adopt federal protections, the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (FACE Act), into Michigan law. 

This legislation prohibits the use or threat of force and physical obstruction that injures, intimidates or interferes with a person seeking to obtain or provide reproductive health service.

“I gladly welcome the Senate’s efforts to protect people’s rights in Michigan in a time of chaos and uncertainty. It is important that Michigan has this policy on its books — whether it is the Senate or House version. We’ve seen Trump pardon individuals who physically blocked access to a Sterling Heights reproductive health clinic in 2020. At a state level, we should be able to prosecute these types of incidents and uphold the state’s commitment to protect individual rights, even if perpetrators are pardoned at the federal level,” Pohutsky said. 

The FACE Act was made federal law in 1994 in response to an increase in violence and intimidation toward reproductive health care providers, patients and clinics. However, the Department of Justice recently stated it will no longer enforce violations of the statute, except in extraordinary circumstances, and has already dropped three pending FACE Act cases. The DOJ’s statement comes as the threat of violence is growing against reproductive health clinics, as a fertility clinic in California was bombed just this past week.

“With the federal cuts, four of Michigan Planned Parenthood health centers are closing. This means people will have even greater challenges to accessing the reproductive health care they need. Michiganders shouldn’t face physical obstruction to these clinics, especially after overcoming the challenge to get there in the first place,” continued Pohutsky. “I will remain steadfast at protecting reproductive health rights and it is important that we hold those accountable that interfere with a choice that is solely yours.” 

Pohutsky introduced this legislation, HBs 6275 and 6276 of 2024, last term. PWC and its members continue to work to defend women’s rights. Last term, several bills that undefined reproductive health care rights became law, such as repealing the archaic abortion ban and implementing the Reproductive Health Care Act and the Family Protection Act to ensure children born in Michigan have access to a secure legal relationship with their parents, which is vital to their well-being. 

 

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