Maine House lawmakers passed a controversial pro-abortion bill on Thursday night to legalize late-term abortions up to birth. The bill, LD 1619, introduced by Gov. Janet Mills, a Democrat, would allow abortions for any reason deemed “necessary” by an abortionist. Currently, abortions in Maine are prohibited after 24 weeks. The bill narrowly passed by a margin of two votes, with 74 in favor and 72 against.
There has been significant public opposition to the bill, with thousands of Maine residents protesting at the state Capitol this spring. Pro-life advocates have expressed their concerns about the bill’s lack of protections for viable, late-term unborn babies. Republican lawmakers and one Democrat introduced amendments to address this, but none were successful.
Critics argue that the bill is discriminatory towards children with disabilities. Gov. Mills shared the story of a baby boy with a potentially fatal disorder, asserting that a mother should have been allowed to abort her fully-formed, late-term son solely because of his disability.
Polls consistently show that there is strong public opposition to late-term abortions, with the majority of Americans advocating for protections for viable unborn babies. The passage of the bill has been condemned by Republicans, who criticize the Democratic-controlled House for disregarding public opinion. The bill will now move to the state Senate for consideration.
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