GOP-authored Michigan bill would legalize discriminating against women who receive abortions

Michigan state Rep. Josh Schriver (R-Oxford) has introduced legislation that would legalize workplace discrimination against women who have received abortion care.

House Bill 4753, which was written by Schriver, restricts the ability for employers to discriminate against workers in a variety of ways. Under section 202 of the bill, the text says an employer shall not “treat an individual affected by pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical condition differently for any employment-related purpose.” The section ends with, “For purposes of this subdivision, a medical condition related to pregnancy or childbirth does not include nontherapeutic abortion not intended to save the life of the mother.”

This section seems to remove non-life-threatening abortion care from the list of reasons to protect women in the workplace, potentially legalizing workplace discrimination against women who have received abortion care.

Schriver did not immediately respond to a request to comment on how his bill could have negative effects on women in the workplace.

Michigan Democratic Party Chair Curtis Hertel provided a statement to Heartland Signal criticizing the Michigan Republicans for their record against reproductive freedom.

“Josh Schriver is once again attempting to push an extremist, anti-choice agenda on Michiganders — despite the voters’ overwhelming support for reproductive freedom,” Hertel said. “This bill makes it crystal clear that Republicans’ every attempt to block abortion access was never about protecting women’s health or children, it’s about controlling women’s bodies. Now, they’re trying to punish them for making legal decisions about their health — it’s disturbing, and Michiganders will never stand for it.”

HB 4753 is co-sponsored by five other Republican lawmakers, including Reps. Matt Maddock (R-Milford), Joseph Fox (R-Fremont), Steve Carra (R-Three Rivers) and Cam Cavitt (R-Cheboygan). The bill was introduced on July 29 and referred to the House Committee on Government Operations.

Reproductive rights have been upheld in Michigan in recent years, with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) expanding access to the potentially life-saving care as recently as January. Michigan voters also enshrined reproductive rights into the state constitution via a constitutional amendment during the 2022 midterms.

Republicans currently have control of the Michigan House of Representatives with a 58-52 majority, while Democrats hold the governor’s mansion and the state Senate (19-18). The 2026 midterms will decide which party holds all three branches of the state government; Whitmer is ineligible for reelection due to term limits.