Abortion rights poised to go before Michigan voters this fall as hundreds of thousands sign petition

Michigan voters could have an opportunity to codify statewide protections on abortion rights and reproductive health care later this year, as a citizen-backed ballot proposal advances in the months leading up to November's midterm elections.

The proposal, titled Reproductive Freedom for All, was first introduced to the public in January and gained momentum through a campaign led by the ACLU of Michigan, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Michigan and the nonprofit organization Michigan Voices. 

It calls for an amendment to the state constitution that would safeguard the right to choose to have an abortion, as well as rights to access and use contraception for both temporary and indefinite purposes. The proposal also aims to ensure that everyone who gives birth in Michigan has rights to proper care, and shield people who have miscarriages, stillbirths, and abortions from facing criminal punishment.