MAINE, USA — If the U.S. Supreme Court decides the Mississippi law, which bans abortions after 15 weeks is constitutional, it would place the job of regulating abortions on individual states.
Maine law professor Dmitry Bam explained how the ruling won't directly impact Maine's abortion law.
"Mississippi's argument is that it should be left up to the people," Bam said. "So if the people of Maine or New York want to allow for abortion, they can. And if the people of Mississippi want to ban abortion, they can do that as well."
Bam believes an affirmative ruling would directly impact southern states, where public opinion opposes abortions.
"I expect that most states in New England will continue to have the laws in place that we currently do," Bam said.
The majority of Mainers support safe access to abortion. According to a 2017 Pew Research Center study, 64% of surveyed Mainers said abortions should be legal in all or most cases, 33% said they should be illegal in all or most cases, and 3% said they did not know.
Maine's laws reflect public opinion. In line with Roe v. Wade, the state allows abortion up until about 24 weeks, roughly the point when a fetus can survive outside the womb.
However, this case could have ripple effects. One example is that it would force some women to travel to states like Maine to access abortion services.
"It will impact us as providers because now we'll be in a position where we'll be making sure people in other parts of the country, who have lost their constitutional rights, will still be able to get the access they need here in Maine," Senior Vice President of Public Affairs at Planned Parenthood of Northern New England Nicole Clegg told NEWS CENTER Maine.
Clegg said limiting access to abortions hurts women who have the fewest resources.
"The people that are most impacted are the people who are least able to get the day off work, the least able to get childcare, least able to travel hundreds of miles to get the care they need," Clegg said.
In recent years, Maine GOP legislators have introduced several bills targeted primarily at eliminating tax-payer funding of abortion but not limiting access to it. However, if the Supreme Court rules the Mississippi law is constitutional, it could embolden Maine's state legislators to push for stricter laws here.
Representative Kathy Javner, R-Chester, who is against abortion, told NEWS CENTER Maine she favors restricting abortion access.
"Absolutely I would be willing to put forward legislation for 15 weeks," Javner said. "I think that is very important."
At the very least, Javner believes it will reignite a conversation among legislators about abortion.
"The Legislature would be, quote-unquote, maybe 'forced' to look at the issue. I think it's the time," she said.
The Supreme Court is expected to rule on this case in June.