AUGUSTA - Today, the House of Representatives voted on a measure that would enshrine reproductive autonomy in the Maine Constitution. The bill earned a majority 76-68 vote but failed to garner the two-thirds support it would need in a future enactment vote to send the amendment to Maine voters for final approval.
In response to the vote, Assistant House Majority Leader Kristen Cloutier, D-Lewiston, issued the following statement:
"Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, states across the country led by extreme Republicans have restricted access to abortion care. Here in Maine, current state law protects this right. However, these protections can be overturned depending on which political party controls the Legislature and the Blaine House, and there is no guarantee that the rights that Mainers are currently afforded will remain into the future. The decision to use birth control, engage in family planning and seek abortion care should belong directly to Mainers, not their elected officials. We've heard over and over again from Maine people that they want the opportunity to vote to protect their reproductive rights once and for all."
Contact:
Brian Lee [Cloutier], c. 305-965-2744