Maine Legalizes Abortions by People Who Aren't Doctors

The governor of Maine has signed a bill that lets health care professionals who are not doctors perform abortions.

Democratic Gov. Janet Mills signed the bill Monday – a bill she had introduced herself.

The new law lets nurse practitioners, physician assistants and others carry out abortions.

Only doctors can perform abortions in most states, for the safety of the woman. Critics say allowing more people to do abortions could make it more dangerous.

"Expanding who is allowed to perform an abortion does not expand the safety of the procedure," Republican state Sen. Stacey Guerin said.

Fox News reported Maine will be the second state after California with a law allowing non-doctors to perform in-clinic abortions, according to Maine's Office of Policy and Legal Analysis. 

Maine is also working on a bill to use taxpayer money to fund abortions for Medicaid recipients. That could mean $375,000 worth of abortions each year.

Maine's new law expanding abortion providers adds to the current contention surrounding abortion laws and procedures in the US.

The measure is the latest at the state level dealing with abortion with many states expanding access to abortions, and others placing tougher restrictions on them.

CBN News has reported lawmakers in Vermont have voted to amend their state constitution to protect abortion at any stage of pregnancy for any reason.

And now Rhode Island is advancing a bill that would legalize late-term abortion, allowing viable babies to be killed right up until the moment of birth.

Illinois is seen as a safe haven for those seeking abortions, especially since a new law allows the state Medicaid program to fund them. Researchers on both sides of the debate have found that when taxpayers fund abortion, the numbers go up.