Maine now has some of the most extreme abortion laws in the nation.
The law also removes certain penalties for non-licensed physicians who perform abortions, a spokesperson for Maine Right to Life told CNA.
Following the passage of the bill in the House of Representatives last month, Bishop Robert Deeley of the Diocese of Portland — Maine’s only diocese — said that it was a “sad day.”
“This is immoral. This is not a fetus. It is an unborn child with everything ready for birth. That is not an issue between a woman and her medical provider. It is a woman, her medical provider, and an unborn child. This measure eliminates any protections for children who cannot speak for themselves but will suffer because of it,” he said in the June 23 statement.
The House voted to advance the bill June 27 by a narrow margin of 73-69. The Senate concurred in early July.
Joel Stetkis, the chairman of the Maine GOP, said in a statement following the governor’s signing of the bill that it is “truly a dark day for our beloved state of Maine.”