Maryland voters are gearing up to decide on an amendment to enshrine abortion rights throughout pregnancy in the state constitution, marking a significant expansion of the state’s already unrestricted abortion policies. If passed, this amendment—Question 1—would solidify Maryland’s status as a state where abortion is permitted at all stages, giving it constitutional protection that can only be overturned through a new amendment or extensive legal challenges.
Question 1 reads as follows:
That every person, as a central component of an individual’s rights to liberty and equality, has the fundamental right to reproductive freedom, including but not limited to the ability to make and effectuate decisions to prevent, continue, or end one’s own pregnancy. The state may not, directly or indirectly, deny, burden, or abridge the right unless justified by a compelling state interest achieved by the least restrictive means.
Maryland lawmakers approved the ballot measure in early 2023, reflecting a broader national trend as several states continue to either protect or expand abortion rights since the fall of Roe v. Wade. Notably, Maryland would join other states such as California, Vermont, and Michigan, which have recently passed similar constitutional amendments. These measures, often funded by large pro-choice organizations and wealthy out-of-state backers, bypass legislative processes and make reversing them extremely difficult. In past ballot initiatives, pro-abortion groups, including Planned Parenthood and the ACLU, have often outspent their opposition, as seen in states like Kansas and Montana, where anti-abortion measures were rejected in recent elections.
Advocates of late-term abortion access argue that such procedures are rare, although data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that thousands of late-term abortions—those occurring after 21 weeks—are performed each year. The Guttmacher Institute, a pro-abortion research group, estimates that over a million abortions took place in 2023, suggesting that at least 10,000 of these may have been late-term procedures. Definitions of “late-term abortion” vary, with pro-choice organizations sometimes challenging the term, while the pro-life Charlotte Lozier Institute broadly defines it as any abortion occurring after the fetus is viable outside the womb, around 22 weeks.
This amendment is part of a larger trend designed by democrats, who are devoid of morals, to normalize abortion even in the later stages of pregnancy. Maryland’s proposed amendment further solidifies the influence of well-funded pro-abortion organizations in state politics, making it difficult for pro-life voices to challenge these policies. We need everyone to demand stronger protections for unborn life, and the Maryland vote is a critical moment that could either reinforce or push back against extreme and expansive abortion policies in America.