Whitmer Orders Review of State Handling of Reproductive Health Data
LANSING, Mich. — Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed Executive Directive 2026-4 on November 5, ordering Michigan executive departments and agencies to review their policies for collecting, maintaining and storing reproductive health care information. The directive is intended to strengthen privacy protections for patients and providers.
The governor's office said the review includes how agencies handle geolocation data and information shared with commercial organizations and federal agencies. The directive covers reproductive health services including prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, contraception, sterilization, abortion, miscarriage management and infertility treatment.
Whitmer described misuse of health data as a growing threat and said patients should be able to seek reproductive care without fear that sensitive information could be used against them. The directive follows earlier actions by her administration related to reproductive freedom, including the Reproductive Health Act and measures addressing contraception and fertility treatment.
The directive calls for an agency policy review; it should not be confused with a new blanket prohibition on all data collection or disclosure. The specific changes individual agencies make will depend on the results of their reviews and applicable law.
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