Pro-Abortion Lawmakers in Maryland Override Governor’s Veto and Make Abortion Even More Accessible

The abortion industry continues to gain ground in abortion-friendly states, and Maryland is well on its way to making itself a travel destination for abortions.
On Friday, April 8, pro-life Maryland Governor Larry Hogan vetoed an abortion bill that would have expanded abortion access in the state. The next day pro-abortion lawmakers in the General Assembly successfully voted to override the governor’s veto.
The measure will remove the restriction that only a doctor can perform an abortion, direct the state to create and fund an abortion training program, and require health insurance companies to cover the cost of abortion completely.
The pro-abortion lawmakers in Maryland threatened to hold an override vote if the governor vetoed the abortion bill – and that’s precisely what they did.
General Assembly rules direct that a three-fifths majority vote of the elected members in each chamber is required to override a veto. House members of the Maryland General Assembly voted 90-46 to override the governor’s veto, and Senate members voted 29-15.
House Bill 937, the so-called Abortion Care Access Act, expands the definition of qualified abortion providers to include nurse practitioners, midwives, and physician assistants.
The governor said he could not support the bill specifically because of this aspect of the legislation. He argued that it would result in lower medical standards and could endanger women’s health and safety.
The bill also mandates that the state create an abortion training program and requires taxpayers to fund the program at $3.5 million per year.
Pro-life lawmakers rightly criticized this funding scheme as a radical expansion of abortion.
Finally, this measure would also require health insurance providers to cover “abortion services” without “a deductible, co-insurance, copayment, or any other cost-sharing requirement.”
The measure is now law and will go into effect on July 1, 2022.
Let this be a lesson to all pro-life advocates. The abortion industry will stop at nothing to see state-endorsed and taxpayer-funded abortion laws all across the nation.
Pro-life friends, we must be engaged and hold our elected officials accountable for their position on abortion.
Pro-life laws will become the law of the land when pro-life lawmakers are in office.
With Roe v. Wade circling the ash heap of history, the future of abortion in America hangs in the balance, and it will be up to us to support lawmakers who will fight to preserve the life of preborn babies in each and every state.
Photo from Shutterstock.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nicole Hunt, J.D., is an attorney and serves as a writer and spokesperson at Focus on the Family. She provides analysis and advocacy engagement for Christians to promote faith, family, and freedom. Some of the issues she writes and speaks on include life, religious freedom, parental rights, marriage, and gender. Prior to joining Focus on the Family, Nicole practiced employment law specifically advising businesses and ministries on employment policies and practices. Nicole worked in Washington, D.C. as a Legislative Assistant to two Members of Congress. During her time on Capitol Hill, Nicole provided policy analysis and voting recommendations to Members of Congress on a variety of public policy matters, wrote speeches, drafted committee statements and questions, wrote floor statements, produced legislation and amendments to legislation, met and developed networks with constituents and interest groups, and worked on regional projects. In addition, Nicole served as an intern to Former Attorney General Ed Meese in the Center for Legal and Judicial Studies at the Heritage Foundation, provided legal analysis to Americans United for Life, and interned in the Office of Strategic Initiatives at The White House during the George W. Bush Administration. Nicole earned her J.D. from George Mason University Antonin Scalia Law School and her Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Political Science from Westmont College. Nicole enjoys riding horses and spending time camping and hiking with her family in the great outdoors. Nicole is married to her husband, Jeff, and they have four children. Follow Nicole on Twitter @nicolehunt