Bill to allow more medical professionals to perform abortions is closer to passage

AUGUSTA — The Maine Legislature took another step toward expanding access to abortion Tuesday, with the House of Representatives approving a bill that authorizes nurse practitioners and physician assistants to perform abortions.

The 74-58 vote, largely along party lines with Republicans in opposition and Democrats in support, will now go to the state Senate, where Democrats also hold the majority, for a vote that will likely be taken later this week.

Supporters of the bill, which is also backed by Gov. Janet Mills, a Democrat, said the measure will provide women, especially those in rural Maine, with more access to abortion services without having to travel to one of 20 clinics in Maine that offer abortions. Licensed physicians offer surgical and medication abortions at clinics in Portland, Augusta and Bangor, and medication abortions up to 10 weeks gestation are available at 18 clinics where doctors connect with patients via videoconference.

Maine lawmakers moved to broaden access to abortion for the second time in one week even as states such as Kentucky, Ohio, Georgia and Alabama have approved some of the most restrictive abortion limits in years – some in an apparent attempt to trigger a challenge to the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision that protects women’s access to abortion. Last week both houses of the Maine Legislature passed a bill that requires the state to fund abortion under its Medicaid program and obligates private insurers to include abortion among pregnancy-related benefits.

Read more: https://www.pressherald.com/2019/05/21/maine-house-approves-bill-allowing-nurse-practitioners-to-provide-abortion-services/
(Portland Press Herald)