AUGUSTA, Maine — Abortion is a major topic of discussion for the Maine Legislature this session. The Legislature's Judiciary Committee is considering three bills that would expand access to abortion in Maine. One of those bills, LD 1619, is being proposed by Gov. Janet Mills.
The bill leaves the decision whether a woman can have an abortion in the hands of that woman and her doctor, but there is a lot of opposition to this type of legislation.
A Republican lawmaker told NEWS CENTER Maine the Judiciary Committee is expected to hear from the public until the early hours of the morning.
But the bill most people are paying close attention to is Mills' bill that seeks to expand abortion access to any point in pregnancy, as long as a medical provider has said it would be medically necessary.
"The decision on whether and when to become a parent is a deeply personal one, I believe, shaped by faith, by family, and by factors as unique as the person whose making that decision," Mills said in a press conference.
The bill proposed by Mills is co-sponsored by close to 100 Democratic lawmakers. Mills said the inspiration for this bill was a Yarmouth woman named Dana Pierce.
"I must emphasize that my strongest thoughts were that I would not let my son suffer any longer than he already had," Pierce said in that same press conference.
NEWS CENTER Maine has shared Dana Pierce's story before. Her son, Cameron, had a rare genetic condition and would not have been able to breathe outside the womb. But at 32 weeks, she was not able to get an abortion under current Maine law.
"My husband and I had to travel across the country and pay $25,000 cash in order to end our son's suffering," she said holding back tears.
She added that she feels lucky to have the resources to do that because many other women and families don't.
The current law allows abortion until the fetus is viable, which experts have said is about 24 weeks. There is an exception to that if the mother's life is in danger.
If this bill passes, the exception is no longer only whether the mother's life is in danger but at the "professional judgment of a physician" at any time during the pregnancy.
"Maine people deserve the right to make these decisions with their doctors," Mills said.
Women like Pierce are supporting this bill, but there were hundreds of people at the Maine State House who are against it, and they were willing to wait hours for the chance to stand at a podium and tell the Judiciary Committee in two minutes or less why.
"We got here at 7:15 this morning, and the building was not open yet. So, we waited outside with umbrellas in the rain," Lisa Sicliano of Westbrook said.
She added that she had a baby boy at 19 weeks 21 years ago, but he didn't survive. Still, she said she doesn't believe in terminating pregnancies.
"He was absolutely perfect in every way. He just came too early," Sicliano said of her son.
Those who oppose them say these bills are not what Mainers want.
"The abortion bills presented today are a radical expansion of abortion that are both unnecessary and inhumane," Sen. Lisa Keim said.
Those in favor have said they're necessary.
"Let me be very clear, the right to safe legal accessible reproductive health care is under attack," House Speaker Rachel Talbot Ross said.