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Gov. Mills may propose additional abortion protections in Maine's constitution

Democratic Gov. Janet Mills greets voters outside a polling place, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022, in Lewiston, Maine.
Robert F. Bukaty
/
AP
Democratic Gov. Janet Mills greets voters outside a polling place, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022, in Lewiston, Maine.

Democratic Gov. Janet Mills may propose an amendment to the Maine Constitution that would further enshrine the state's abortion protection rights.

The governor originally floated a constitutional amendment shortly after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the landmark Roe vs. Wade ruling, which effectively put the abortion issue in the hands of state legislatures and governors.

While Maine has a nearly 30-year-old law that protects abortion access, abortion rights supporters, including Mills, have repeatedly warned that a Republican governor and legislature could overturn it.

In a recent interview, Mills said the Office of Attorney General is evaluating whether the Maine Constitution already provides adequate protections.

Ratifying a constitutional amendment ultimately requires approval by voters, but the Legislature must first agree to send it to them by a two-thirds vote.

Mill said she wasn't sure whether there is the necessary GOP support.

But, she said, "All the polls show that the people of Maine are overwhelmingly in support of reproductive health care, including the right to abortion."

Mills, who ran for re-election as a staunch supporter of abortion rights, did not indicate when she might submit such a bill, or when the AG's office might complete its analysis.

Journalist Steve Mistler is Maine Public’s chief politics and government correspondent. He is based at the State House.