Governor Janet Mills joined 19 fellow Governors today to launch the Reproductive Freedom Alliance, a multi-state coalition focused on protecting and expanding reproductive freedom.
The nonpartisan alliance, open to all governors who support reproductive rights, is the largest coalition of its type ever assembled. Founding members have committed to work collaboratively to expand reproductive rights in their states and to fight efforts to restrict access to abortion and other forms of reproductive healthcare.
“The Supreme Court’s wrongheaded decision to overturn Roe v. Wade has left more than half the people in America without access to safe abortion, and it has unleashed an unprecedented wave of new threats to reproductive health care. While we have strong abortion laws in Maine, this moment requires that states come together to stand for and safeguard reproductive freedom wherever and whenever possible,” said Governor Janet Mills. “I’m proud to join the Reproductive Freedom Alliance, and, so long as I am Governor of Maine, I will work to protect and strengthen reproductive rights in our state.”
Collectively, Governors founding the alliance represent nearly 170 million people. In addition to Governor Mills, coalition members include California Governor Gavin Newsom, Colorado Governor Jared Polis, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont, Delaware Governor John Carney, Hawaii Governor Josh Green, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, Maryland Governor Wes Moore, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, New York Governor Kathy Hochul, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, Rhode Island Governor Daniel McKee, Washington Governor Jay Inslee, and Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers.
“In the last year alone, over 36 million women have lost access to critical health care with the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Medication abortion – one of the safest forms of health care for decades now – may be stripped from our clinics and hospitals nationwide. Doctors face criminal prosecution for providing care. Extremists are trying to restrict access to contraception – and we know they won’t stop there,” said the Governors in a joint statement. “In the face of this unprecedented assault by states hostile to abortion rights and their enablers in the courts, we are pledging to work together to strengthen abortion firewalls across America. This fight isn’t over.”
Under Governor Mills’ leadership, Maine has not only protected but expanded access to critical reproductive health services. The Governor, in collaboration with the Legislature, has enacted laws that prevent protestors from blocking health clinics, that require public and private insurance coverage of abortion services, and that made those services available to people in rural and urban areas of Maine. Last month, Governor Mills, Senate President Troy Jackson, and House Speaker Rachel Talbot Ross announced forthcoming legislation to ensure that medical providers can offer patients abortion care when they need it.