Gov. Larry Hogan vetoes a bill to enhance abortion access

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan vetoed a bill Friday that would increase abortion access in the state by lifting a barrier that only physicians may perform procedures and mandating most insurance plans to cover abortion services at no cost.

The bill “endangers the health and lives of women by permitting non-physicians to perform abortions,” wrote the Republican governor, who isn’t ruling out a presidential run in 2024 after his second term expires early next year.

“The bill risks lowering the high standard of reproductive health care services received by women in Maryland. These procedures are complex and can, and often do, result in significant medical complications that require the attention of a licensed physician.”  – Larry Hogan

Democrats, who dominate the General Assembly, passed the law with enough votes to overturn the veto before the legislative session was slated to end Monday at midnight.

Supporters argue that Maryland does not have enough abortion providers to meet the state’s needs. They have stated that many counties lack a single provider. The law would lift a legal bar that prevented nurse practitioners, nurse midwives, and physician assistants from performing abortions. It would establish an abortion care training program and would require $3.5 million in state money each year.

The bill to extend abortion access comes at a time when the conservative majority on the United States Supreme Court is debating whether to overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 decision that barred states from prohibiting abortion.

According to the Guttmacher Institute, a research, and policy organization that promotes abortion rights, if they do, at least 26 states are expected to either outright outlaw abortion or severely restrict access.

As a result, many women would be forced to travel to neighboring states to obtain abortions, requiring Democratic-led legislatures such as Maryland to enact new regulations to prepare for them.