Democratic Maine Gov. Janet Mills signed an abortion bill Wednesday that allows the procedure after fetal viability, or 24 weeks, if the abortionist determines it is necessary, removing the requirement that the mother’s life or health be at risk.
The bill, “An Act to Improve Maine’s Reproductive Privacy Laws,” is considered one of the least restrictive laws on abortion in the U.S., and will also strengthen support for doctors and abortion providers, according to The Associated Press. Mills signed the bill into law Wednesday after it passed both the state House and Senate by narrow margins in June, according to The Portland Press Herald.
“The Maine Medical Association and its members believe that medical decisions belong in the exam room, not in the legislature and, especially right now, not in the Supreme Court,” Dr. Connie Adler, who represented the Maine Medical Association at a press conference for the signing of the bill, said. “I want to thank the Governor and Representative Talbot Ross and the other representatives who voted and worked so hard on this bill … for supporting privacy, self-determination and the safety of patients and providers.”
The bill also removes any penalties for someone who performs an abortion without being a licensed physician or nurse. The new law eliminated the previous requirement for the life of the mother to be at risk before performing an abortion after 24 weeks.
“It is the public policy of the State that the State not restrict a woman’s exercise of her private decision to terminate a pregnancy before viability,” the bill reads.
Mills’ legislation prompted massive protests, with over 1,500 showing up at the state capitol in May to testify against the bill. Democratic lawmakers changed the legislature’s rules at the last minute to allow each person only one minute, instead of two, to speak about their concerns regarding the legislation.
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