UNITED STATES NEWS

Maine bill proposing one of country’s least restrictive abortion laws narrowly clears House vote

Jun 22, 2023, 3:24 PM | Updated: 9:08 pm

A proposal to expand access to abortions narrowly passed Thursday night in the Maine House, clearing the first hurdle after lawmakers kicked off an emotional floor debate.

The 74-72 vote was closer than expected after at least one Democratic co-sponsor had a change of heart, joining lawmakers opposed to the proposal that would give the state one of the least restrictive abortion laws in the country.

The bill moves next to the Maine Senate for consideration.

The bill introduced by Democratic Gov. Janet Mills with the backing of legislative leaders would allow abortions any time before birth if deemed necessary by a medical provider. Current state law bans abortions after a fetus becomes viable outside the womb, at roughly 24 weeks, unless a mother’s life is at risk.

House Republican Leader Billy Bob Faulkingham expressed frustration after the vote.

“The stench in this building is overwhelming,” the Republican from Winter Harbor said.

Passage is considered a foregone conclusion in the Democratic-controlled Legislature. The bill had 76 sponsor and co-sponsors in the House. The vote was cast following the late arrival of a Democratic lawmaker.

One of the co-sponsors, Rep. Walter Wiseman, D-Harrison, said he decided the current state law is “doing its job.”

“Let’s stop now before we get in too deep,” he said.

The bill is one of several abortion-related bills before lawmakers this session. The debate began days before the one-year anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning the Roe v. Wade decision that women had a constitutional right to an abortion, returning authority to the states.

Rep. Erin Sheehan, D-Biddeford, said the issue is best left to those who have become pregnant and their medical providers.

“Medical professionals are best positioned to make the decisions to help Mainers make the decisions that will serve them and maintain the ethical guardrails needed in the later stages of pregnancy,” Sheehan said.

But Rep. Laurel Libby, R-Auburn, said the proposal was extreme and out of touch with Mainers who support the current law. “We all know that this bill goes too far,” she said.

Rep. Colleen Madigan, D-Waterville, who supports the bill, was one of the lawmakers to put the bill in personal terms, noting that her mother didn’t have a choice when she gave birth to a baby with a fatal anomaly and watched her newborn son die over the course of a day.

Madigan said lawmakers have no business stepping into such tragedies. “If you’ve never had to be in those circumstances, be grateful,” she said.

The debate was respectful, but tense at times.

Rep. Adam Lee, D-Auburn, said many Democrats were demonized by abortion opponents for supporting the bill. But he said the decision was difficult for lawmakers on both sides of the issue.

“We need to realize that we aren’t bad people. Neither side. This is a tough decision for all of us,” Lee said.

___

Sharp reported from Portland, Maine.

___

Follow David Sharp on Twitter @David_Sharp_AP

United States News

Associated Press

Indiana secretary of state appeals ruling for US Senate candidate seeking GOP nod

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indiana secretary of state is appealing a ruling that a law stipulating voting requirements for a candidate’s party affiliation is unconstitutional in a decision that lifted the hopes of a U.S. Senate hopeful who wants to run as a Republican. The Indiana attorney general’s office filed the notice of appeal Friday […]

22 minutes ago

Associated Press

Nashville Police investigation into leak of Covenant School shooter’s writings is inconclusive

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Nashville Police have “exhausted all available investigative avenues” in the hunt for the person who leaked pages from a school shooter’s journals to a conservative commentator, the department announced in an email sent to media late on Friday. The writings are part of an ongoing legal battle over whether they should […]

28 minutes ago

Associated Press

Arkansas man sentenced to 5 1/2 years for firebombing police cars during 2020 protests

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — The ringleader of a group who admitted to firebombing several police cars in Arkansas during the 2020 protests over the killing of George Floyd has been sentenced to five and a half years in federal prison, while three of his co-defendants were sentenced to 18 months each. A federal judge […]

2 hours ago

Associated Press

Guest lineups for the Sunday news shows

WASHINGTON (AP) — ABC’s “This Week” — Secretary of State Antony Blinken; former Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo. ___ NBC’s “Meet the Press” — Sens. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, and Chris Murphy, D-Conn. ___ CBS’ “Face the Nation” — Shalanda Young, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget; Sens. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and James […]

2 hours ago

Associated Press

Maine man dies while checking thickness of lake ice, wardens say

A man who was checking the thickness of ice on a lake in the Maine wilderness crashed into the icy water and drowned on Friday, game wardens said. Walter Demmons, 62 of Milford, was drilling holes with a friend to check the ice thickness while preparing to fish in Quakish Lake when they heard the […]

3 hours ago

Associated Press

Tennessee Supreme Court blocks decision to redraw state’s Senate redistricting maps

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee’s highest court on Friday temporarily blocked a lower court’s decision that lawmakers must redraw the state’s Senate maps in a ruling that means the current legislative districts will likely remain in place for the 2024 elections. Late last month, a panel of judges ruled that the Republican-drawn map violated the […]

3 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

Follow @KTAR923...

Valley residents should be mindful of plumbing ahead of holidays

With Halloween in the rear-view and more holidays coming up, Day & Night recommends that Valley residents prepare accordingly.

...

Desert Institute for Spine Care

Desert Institute for Spine Care (DISC) wants to help Valley residents address back, neck issues through awake spine surgery

As the weather begins to change, those with back issues can no longer rely on the dry heat to aid their backs. That's where DISC comes in.

...

SCHWARTZ LASER EYE CENTER

Key dates for Arizona sports fans to look forward to this fall

Fall brings new beginnings in different ways for Arizona’s professional sports teams like the Cardinals and Coyotes.

Maine bill proposing one of country’s least restrictive abortion laws narrowly clears House vote