The partisan committee vote represents a partisan challenge to Democrats who want to amend the Maine Constitution to enshrine abortion as a right.
The Judiciary Committee voted 6-5 in favor of the proposal Thursday, with all Democrats supporting and all Republicans opposing. Two committee members were absent.
New Hampshire House refuses to further expand or restrict abortion access
Maine Democrats aim to join four other states that have amended their constitutions to protect abortion rights since the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade in 2022. Last year, there was intense debate over new laws expanding access to abortion.
The Maine State Capitol photographed in Augusta, Maine. (eyecrave Productions, via Getty Images)
Although Democrats control both chambers of Congress, they do not have a large enough majority to send the amendment to voters unless they convince some Republicans to support the resolution.
The Maine Senate will now take up the proposal. For the bill to reach the required two-thirds vote, at least two Republicans in the 35-member House would need to support the constitutional amendment. The slope for Democrats is even steeper in the 151-member House.
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The organizer, Democratic Sen. Eloise Vitelli, was satisfied that the proposal had cleared the first hurdle. “Take abortion out of politics, and the best way to take abortion out of politics is to make our state constitution clear. Reproductive autonomy is a human right. Maine voters have a right to consider this.” she said in a statement. statement.
