Signatures campaign for a veto of the Physician Assisted Suicide and the Medicaid abortion coverage bills

Click here for more information:  https://cclmaine.org/pv/

A coalition is supporting signature gatherings from Maine registered voters, to support a citizens veto ballot initiative for the following bills (1) Physician Assisted Suicide (LD 1313- An Act to Enact the Maine Death With Dignity Act) and (2) Medicaid covered abortion services (LD 820 - An Act To Prevent Discrimination in Public and Private Insurance Coverage for Pregnant Women in Maine). Many thanks to the Knights of Columbus, who are helping to organize this effort. 

Physician Assisted Suicide LD 1313 was sponsored by (1) Representative Hymanson of York (2) Senator Woodsome of York (3) Representative Bailey of Saco (4) Denno of Cumberland (5) Meyer of Eliot (6) Stearns of Guildord (7) Senator Gratwick of Penobscot and (8) Moore of Washington.

Medicaid coverage for abortion LD 820,  was sponsored by the following legislators:  (1) Representative McCreight of Harpswell and (2) Cosponsored by Senator Vitelli of Sagadahoc with (3) Rep. Denise Tepler of Topsham, among the co-sponsors.  

The summary of the Physician Assisted Suicide bill is horrible.  In fact, the law signed by Governor Janet Mills says, "This bill enacts the Maine Death with Dignity Act authorizing a person who is 18 years of age or older, who meets certain qualifications and who has been determined by 19 the person's attending physician to be suffering from a terminal disease, as defined in the 20 Act, to make a request for medication prescribed for the purpose of ending the person's 21 life. The bill establishes the procedures for making these requests, including 2 waiting 22 periods and one written and 2 oral requests and requires a 2nd opinion by a consulting 23 physician. The bill requires specified information to be documented in the person's 24 medical record, including all oral and written requests for a medication to hasten death."

Almost one million women in the U.S. have an abortion every year. Check this link for more information.

This is the summary of the Medicaid expansion to cover abortion: "This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to provide coverage 27 to a MaineCare member for abortion services. The bill provides that abortion services 28 that are not approved Medicaid services must be funded by the State. The bill also directs 29 the Department of Health and Human Services to adopt rules no later than March 1, 2020."

Here is the Link that people can use to sign up to be one of the 400 signatures gatherers:  https://forms.gle/VxJ5PD4j19tssevw9  (cut and paste this link into your browser).

A sample letter proposed for this request:

The first month of our signature gathering campaign to get Tax-Funded Abortions and Physician-Assisted Suicide on the ballot for a People’s Veto has focused on training and church signing events. 

As we enter the final month, we are calling on Mainers to personally invest in collecting signatures in their neighborhoods and networks. We need 400 registered voters to commit to collecting 25 signatures for the next three weeks for a total of 75 signatures.

Will you make a difference and commit to the 2-3 hours a week? Please join us if you can be one of the 400, to commit to gathering at least 75 signatures by September 13th; we greatly appreciate your support. 

Whether you are just starting or have already been collecting signatures, we are asking you to let us know you will be one of the 400.  Thank you.  

Click here for more information:

https://cclmaine.org/pv/