News & Commentary

Yesterday, the House voted to pass H.R. 7, the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act. On it’s surface, the bill seems like a simple redundancy. The Hyde Amendment makes it illegal to use federal funds for abortion care. This restriction has been solidly in place for over 35 years. There’s been no budging on the Hyde Amendment. In fact, legislative measures are frequently introduced and passed to ensure that the Hyde Amendment can’t be circumvented. This particular Act would make permanent the federal funding restrictions put into place by the Hyde Amendment.

Today, January 22nd, marks the 41st anniversary of the monumental Roe v. Wade decision. The landmark 1973 decision set in stone one of the fundamental principles of our democracy: the right to protection from governmental intrusion into our “zone of privacy.” The decision granted women greater agency in their reproductive lives and affirmed the fact that women are capable enough to determine what types of reproductive health services they utilize. The Roe v. Wade decision recognized that every women's circumstances are unique and that every woman facing an unintended pregnancy needs the opportunity to make the best decision for her circumstances. 

Today, the Supreme Court heard one hour of oral arguments in McCullen v. Coakley, the Massachusetts case that takes up the issue of abortion clinic buffer zones and free speech. While no decision has been reached in the case, the majority of the justices seem to lean against the buffer zone, characterizing the law as an unfair and excessive infringement on First Amendment rights. Some Justices opposed the buffer zone outright, suggesting that the current law is a one-sided restriction against anti-abortion speech. Other Justices were more ambiguous in their statements, suggesting that a buffer zone might be necessary, but a 35-foot buffer zone was excessive. If you’d like to read a summary of the Justices' responses to the arguments, you can read a recap on the SCOTUSblog.

Each Friday, we’ll bring you updates on the latest civil liberties news from Maine and the nation.

Freedom of religion is a fundamental right, one the ACLU will always fight for. It is protected by the constitutions of Maine and the United States. The Maine Human Rights Act explicitly protects people against discrimination based on their religion. And there are 13 individual statutes in Maine law that protect religious freedom. 

On Tuesday, November 26, 2013, Marlise Munoz suffered a pulmonary embolism that left her unconscious. She collapsed on the living room floor and was found by her husband Erick Munoz around 2am. When emergency vehicles transported Marlise to John Peter Smith hospital in Fort Worth, Texas, doctors found that she had sustained massive brain swelling. That was over four weeks ago. Marlise has yet to gain consciousness; her bodily functions are being sustained by life support. Erick would very much like to take his wife off of life support and allow her to die peacefully. This, he says, would be her wish. Erick and his wife, both paramedics, had spent a lot of time talking about end-of-life decisions. According to Erick, Marlise never wanted to be kept alive by the aid of machines. Erick would like to honor her wishes. The decision is agonizing for him, but he knows that she wouldn’t want to exist this way – “simply a shell,” hooked up to machines to keep her body alive. Unfortunately, although Erick and Marlise spent time talking about end-of-life choices, neither of them had actually signed a Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) form. While the lack of DNR form is unfortunate, it is ultimately irrelevant due to one important detail: Marlise was 14 weeks pregnant when she was connected to life support.

Hello readers! As the new Reproductive Freedom Organizer at the ACLU of Maine, I am excited to begin working to ensure that all Maine women are able to maintain control over their reproductive rights and choices.

Each Friday, we’ll bring you updates on the latest civil liberties news from Maine and the nation.

Last week we signed on to an open letter to Gov. LePage, urging him to ensure that Maine’s policies regarding pregnant women and newborns are informed by science, and that they do not inadvertently endanger the health of babies.