In the news: What's happening today with abortion
Maine legislators attempt to expand abortion rights, poll indicates favorable views of pro-choice community
As written about in a previous newsletter, one of the forefronts of the new abortion war is the dispute over whether private reproductive healthcare information should be given to law enforcement investigating abortion deemed criminal by state authorities.
This week, Maine lawmakers heard testimony from medical providers, religious leaders and patient advocates on LD1619, which aims to improve Maine’s reproductive privacy laws. It would remove Maine’s ban on abortions later in pregnancy and the criminal penalties included in the state’s current law as well as eliminate antiquated and invasive data collection requirements for abortion patients and providers.Â
The bill was introduced on April 12 and 20 Maine state senators and 76 state Representatives cosponsored it.
In other news, the Navigator Research Survey was released today and it had some illuminating details. By a two-to-one margin, Americans say that eliminating Roe has been bad for the country. Two in five Republicans believe abortion should be legal. Most want medication abortion to be widely available to the public. Additionally, nearly half of Republicans have a favorable view of Planned Parenthood.
