Governor Whitmer Signs Executive Directive to Protect Reproductive Care Data, Safeguard Michiganders’ Privacy

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 5, 2026

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Governor Whitmer Signs Executive Directive to Protect Reproductive Care Data, Safeguard Michiganders' Privacy

LANSING, Mich. - Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed Executive Directive 2026-4, strengthening protections for reproductive health data and ensuring privacy for Michigan patients and providers. This executive directive builds on the Governor's critical work to expand access to reproductive health care and protect Michiganders' bodily autonomy.

"Over the last eight years, I've fought like hell to protect Michiganders' reproductive freedom," said Governor Whitmer. "This executive directive is another important step in keeping our patients and providers safe. Data misuse is a growing threat, and we must make sure that reproductive care data never lands in the hands of people who could weaponize it. I'm proud to sign this executive directive to secure Michiganders' reproductive health data and strengthen patients' confidence as they seek reproductive care."

In 2022, Governor Whitmer called on big-tech companies to protect health and location data. This executive directive builds on that work by instructing all executive departments and agencies to conduct a comprehensive review of all policies that relate to the collection, maintenance, and storage of reproductive health care data and ensure that it is under maximum protection. This includes restrictions on sharing geolocation information and other data with commercial organizations and federal agencies. Reproductive care includes, but is not limited to, prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, contraception, sterilization, abortion care, miscarriage management, and infertility care.

To read more, Executive Directive 2026-4 can be found here.

Fighting Like Hell to Protect Reproductive Freedom

Throughout her administration, Governor Whitmer has used every tool available to protect reproductive freedom in Michigan, taking critical actions such as:

• Signed the Reproductive Health Act to repeal politically motivated, medically unnecessary statutes that criminalized nurses and doctors, forced health care providers to close, raised costs for patients, and restricted access to abortion.

• Repealed Michigan's extreme 1931 abortion ban.

• Signed a law prohibiting employers from discriminating against women because they've had an abortion.

• Signed bills decriminalizing surrogacy and protecting IVF in Michigan.

• Filed a proactive lawsuit and petitioned the Michigan Supreme Court to protect abortion access.

• Filed and won a restraining order and later a preliminary injunction to prevent nurses and doctors from being prosecuted for providing reproductive health care.

• Instructed state departments to identify and assess opportunities to increase protections for reproductive health and increase public awareness. As a result, expanded access to birth control for 200,000 retirees and their families and enabled pharmacists to prescribe hormonal birth control.

• Signed an executive order refusing to extradite women and abortion providers who come to Michigan seeking reproductive freedom.

• Vetoed language in state budgets that aimed to roll back access to abortion and reproductive health care.

• Called on the federal government to make birth control available over the counter without a prescription, reduce barriers to mifepristone, and clarify Michiganders' right to cross the US-Canada border to seek reproductive health care.

• Called on Michigan insurers to make sure women have coverage for reproductive health care and called on big tech companies to take steps to protect private health and location data.

• Announced new protocols so EMS responders can carry emergency contraception and are prepared to work with sexual assault survivors.

• Signed legislation extending the time sexual assault survivors can file charges.

• Consistently invested in and expanded Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies, an initiative to address disproportionate racial impacts of maternal and infant mortality.

• Sought a waiver to expand "Plan First!", offering no or low-cost family planning services for Medicaid eligible families. Expanded Plan First! in the budget.

• Established a policy that will guarantee critical medical resources and support to Department of Corrections' pregnant and postpartum prisoners and their newborns.

• Made free contraceptive resources available at over 300 locations across Michigan.

• Expanded RxKids to over 50 communities from Detroit to the Upper Peninsula.

• Signed bills giving Michiganders access to basic health care by allowing pharmacists to directly prescribe and dispense contraceptives to patients.

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