Late last month, on the 51st anniversary of the now-overturned Roe v. Wade decision protecting the right to an abortion in the United States, Mainers filled the halls of the State House to voice their support for a proposed constitutional amendment, LD 780, to explicitly secure reproductive freedom here in Maine. The Legislature’s Judiciary Committee heard hours of testimony from people across the state, sharing stories of loss and hope, and a desire for autonomy over their own bodies.

The show of support that day was remarkable, but I couldn’t help but feel a deep sadness because of the absence of one particularly powerful voice, that of the honorable Lois Galgay Reckitt.

Lois, who passed away in October of last year, was serving her fourth term in the Maine House representing part of South Portland. She was a relentless advocate for women, a champion for the Equal Rights Amendment – both for the United States Constitution and the Maine Constitution – a national leader in the fight to end violence against women and girls, and a dear friend. In the wake of the Dobbs decision that overturned Roe v. Wade, the right to reproductive autonomy once again hangs in the balance. Even in her final days, Lois set her sights on explicitly securing this right for Mainers.

For over 50 years, guaranteed access to birth control and to safe and legal abortions allowed women to take greater control over our decisions about the ever-challenging balancing act between work and family, giving us greater opportunity to participate fully in our communities and the economy. Having raised three daughters, I know how vital this protection is to their sense of agency and freedom. Lois understood this, too. But more so, she understood the ramifications of robbing future generations of this protection. I believe most Mainers understand this as well.

Right now, reproductive rights are under attack in Republican-controlled state houses across the country, but these attempts to roll back reproductive rights are out of step with public sentiment. In states where voters are allowed to directly decide, we have seen reproductive autonomy continue to win. Even in states with Republican-controlled legislatures, like Kansas and Ohio, voters have overwhelmingly voted to protect reproductive autonomy. In Maine, the majority of people support access to abortion by wide margins.

Yet getting enough support among lawmakers to send this issue to voters will be a challenge. Unlike most other types of legislation, a constitutional amendment must receive the support of two-thirds of the House and Senate before it can be sent to the people for a vote.