by Deepika Shrestha ‘27

The state of Maryland and its voters have taken action to protect legal access to abortion. In the November 5 election, around 73 percent of voters supported the measure to protect abortion statewide. More recently, a new bill being proposed to the state legislature is meant to further help support abortion services. 

Abortion being in the state constitution means no state law can ever restrict access to it. It’s a fundamental right that all citizens in the state have. There is currently no limit on age for abortion or if it is medically necessary in the state. Unless there is a federal ban on abortion, then Maryland is giving the highest potential amount of access there is to abortion. With President Trump currently in office and abortion restrictions in other states, people are worried about their reproductive health. Trump has stated that abortion will be left up to the states but there is doubt he won’t interfere with abortion nationally. 

A new proposed bill will help ensure anyone that needs abortion access can get it without constraints. The bill would transfer funds from insurance companies to the Maryland Department of Health that would give money towards abortion care. The Affordable Care Act makes insurance companies overcharge for abortion coverage but can only spend the money on abortion. This means insurance companies have about 25 million dollars in extra funds that havent been used in the last ten years. The proposed bill will make the extra funds from insurance companies go to the Maryland Department of Health and that would in turn go to abortion nonprofits. Most abortion nonprofits get funds from donations and grants but it’s typically not enough to help everyone. 

This is the first kind of bill in the nation and could encourage other states to make the same kind of bill. The extra money can greatly help nonprofits increase the amount of people they see and the impact they have on them. Sometimes nonprofits have to turn people away depending on their situation as there is not enough funds to take care of everyone that comes. There can be controversy with some people that oppose abortion and feel angry that the state department of health would be giving money to fund abortion care. But the overall majority of people would be in favor of the bill due to the overwhelming number that voted for abortion rights in the state constitution.