BALTIMORE — Despite pleas from some Maryland Democratic lawmakers and officials, Gov. Larry Hogan does not plan an early release of $3.5 million in funds set aside for training additional clinicians to perform abortions in Maryland before doing so is required next year.
The money came attached to a state law passed this year that for the first time allows medical providers other than physicians to perform the procedure, including physician assistants, nurse practitioners and midwives. Hogan, a Republican, vetoed the bill, but his veto was overturned by the Democratic legislature.
The statewide training money must be apportioned starting with next year’s budget, but some lawmakers have called on Hogan to use his discretionary powers to release the first round of funding sooner, following the leak of a draft opinion from the U.S. Supreme Court indicating a majority of justices favor overturning Roe v. Wade, a 1973 ruling that essentially legalized abortion across the United States.
