Maryland enacted (click here) the most sweeping change to its abortion laws in three decades on Saturday, as Democratic state lawmakers overrode Republican Gov. Larry Hogan’s veto.
The new law puts Maryland at the vanguard of abortion rights nationwide, expanding access and requiring most insurance policies to cover the entire cost of the procedure. The state is among a small minority to advance abortion protections this year as many rush to pass restrictions in case the Supreme Court strikes down the right to abortion.
Hogan vetoed the legislation Friday evening, saying that it threatened women’s well being to remove a long-standing restriction that prevented anyone but physicians to perform abortions.
The Democratic supermajority in the General Assembly promptly overrode him on several liberal priorities that forced him to take a stand on issues he had largely been able to avoid. The lawmakers created a paid family leave program to subsidize 12 weeks off work, put in new restrictions for gun deals, and barred police from interrogating children unless a parent or lawyer is present....
