BALTIMORE — Nurse practitioners, midwives and other non-physician medical professionals will be able to perform abortions in Maryland after the Democrat-controlled General Assembly overrode Republican Gov. Larry Hogan’s veto of the Abortion Care Access Act on Saturday afternoon.
Hogan’s veto of the measure, which will also require most health insurance plans to cover abortions at no cost to patients and fund training for abortion providers, was among a series of the Republican governor’s vetoes that were swiftly overturned by lawmakers on Saturday afternoon.
Lawmakers also voted to launch a paid family and medical leave program for nearly every worker statewide despite Hogan’s objections.
The series of override votes on Saturday fulfilled vows from Democratic leaders to use the party’s veto-proof majorities in both chambers of the General Assembly. Final passage of the paid leave program, abortion legislation and several other proposals came less than 24 hours after Hogan tried to block each with a slate of vetoes on Friday evening.
The creation of a paid family and medical leave program, which is slated to begin paying benefits in 2025, comes after a lengthy campaign by progressive groups. Top Democrats, including Senate President Bill Ferguson, made it a leading priority this year after numerous proposals in past legislative sessions fell short.
Hogan, in a letter to lawmakers explaining his veto, objected to the potential costs of the paid family and medical leave program, especially for smaller businesses. Hogan also raised concerns that the legislation left details like the precise contribution rates charged to workers and businesses to fund the program up to soon-to-launch actuarial studies aimed at projecting the program’s precise costs.
But paid leave supporters rejected Hogan’s contention that funding the benefits — and the difficulties for businesses replacing workers while on leave — could prove a drag on the state’s economy. Many contended that the pandemic’s strain on family caretakers highlighted the need for the program and that providing leave for working families would draw more people into the state’s workforce.
“It means high-quality, educated, experienced workers want to move to Maryland and work in the industries that drive our economy,” Del. Eric Luedtke of Montgomery County, the Democratic majority leader, told colleagues on Saturday. “Our economy is fantastic, Maryland is doing well … and part of the reason it’s doing well is frankly because of bills like this.”
The insurance program will offer workers up to 12 weeks paid time off to welcome newborn babies, take care of sick or ailing relatives, recover from medical issues or prepare for a military deployment. New parents who also experience a separate illness or family crisis would be able to take an additional 12 weeks of leave.
The program, with annual costs estimated in the hundreds of millions, will be funded by a payroll tax split between workers and businesses with more than 15 employees. Weekly benefits for workers claiming leave from the fund will be based on prior earnings but will be capped at $1,000 per week, although that figure will be adjusted in the future based on inflation.
Del. C.T. Wilson, a Charles County Democrat and one of the proposal’s sponsors, hit back at criticism from Hogan and other Republicans over objections that the lingering pandemic and rising inflation made now a bad time to launch the program.
“It’s never a good time, the economy is never good enough” for critics of the paid leave program, Wilson said, pointing to years of opposition. “If not now, when? … Ten other states have already done this, this isn’t an impossibility.”
Minutes after overturning Hogan’s veto of the paid leave program, lawmakers got back to work polishing off overrides of several more of Hogan’s vetoes.
Lawmakers brushed aside Hogan’s objections to pass into law new requirements that police contact parents and provide an attorney before interrogating juveniles; a mandate for the Hogan administration to move forward with long-discussed plans to expand MARC passenger rail service; and an expansion of prevailing wage rules for government contractors.
Lawmakers also overturned Hogan’s vetoes of a bill to require licensed firearms dealers to take certain steps to secure their guns against potential thieves and another bill shield appointed county public health officers from firing except for cause.
Final votes to overturn Hogan’s other vetoes were expected Saturday afternoon. Lawmakers have until midnight on Monday to complete any veto overrides and wrap up legislative business before the General Assembly adjourns.
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(Baltimore Sun reporter Scott Dance contributed to this article.)
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