Maine Bill Affirms Right to Abortion
Maine lawmakers Tuesday approved a bill reaffirming a woman’s right to have an abortion and eliminating a 48-hour waiting period that had been required but never enforced.
The measure, proposed by Gov. John R. McKernan Jr., was designed to stop anti-abortion activists who want to use a 1992 U.S. Supreme Court decision to reactivate the waiting period law and impose new restrictions.
In addition to eliminating the waiting period, the bill guarantees abortion rights granted in the high court’s 1973 Roe vs. Wade ruling.
The state House approved the bill, 98 to 43. The Senate approved the bill Monday on a voice vote.
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