Maine Now Wants To Allow Non-Doctors To Perform Abortions!

Here's more on the story, from ABC News:

Democratic Gov. Janet Mills wants to expand access to abortions by allowing nurse practitioners, physician assistants and certified nurse-midwives to perform procedures in Maine.

Mills said Thursday her bill would expand access to abortions, particularly for women in rural areas. Democrats won the Legislature in November and promised to expand women's health access.

Current state law prevents advanced practice clinicians such as physician assistants and advanced practice registered nurses from providing abortion care. Mills said such limitations lack medical justification and leave Maine with three publicly accessible health centers providing in-clinic abortions.

Planned Parenthood of Northern New England and the ACLU of Maine are challenging those restrictions in ongoing federal litigation and praised Mills' bill.

Republican Rep. Beth O'Connor called Mills' legislation and another bill to allow Medicaid-funded abortions "extremist."

More of the pitch:

And from local Fox23:

Governor Janet Mills is co-sponsoring a bill that would change who is allowed to perform abortions in Maine.

Governor Mills says this would provide easier access for women in rural access to get an abortion, but GOP lawmakers in the House say they'll vote against it.

"I agree with those bans and I think they should stay in place," Rep. Beth O’Connor said.

The ban prohibits advanced practice nurses and other similar health practitioners from performing abortions.

"This will be a party line vote, probably, and hopefully, a few (Democrats) from the other side will be swayed to say ‘no’ to this," O’Connor said.

Women's rights and health advocacy groups support the idea of overturning the ban to allow advanced nurse practitioners and physician assistants to perform abortions.

The ACLU released a statement on the matter.

"There are only three publicly accessible health centers in Maine where a patient can get an aspiration abortion or any abortion care after 10 weeks. Some people in rural parts of the state have to travel as far as eight hours round trip."

The governor says Republicans should wait for floor debate before voting.

"I would ask the current (GOP) leaders to look to their elders and mentors in the past before they pass judgement on a bill that simply expands the list of providers who might be able to perform early term abortions and allow rural in underserved areas to have access to the same services that women in urban areas already have," Mills said.

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