The state of Maine is considering a bill that would establish a “legal right” to abortion and sex-reassignment surgery and shield clinicians who perform the procedures from legal penalties.
Opponents and supporters of the bill packed the hall Tuesday afternoon. Congressional Joint Committee on Health Care, Insurance, and Financial Services Public hearing for public comment. The hearing lasted more than six hours, and the bill is expected to pass additional hurdles before reaching a floor vote in the coming weeks.
The bill, known as LD 227, would prohibit “interference” with abortion and gender reassignment procedures, provide legal protection for health care providers from lawsuits, and provide legal protection against medical records from plaintiffs seeking legal action against health care providers. There is also a possibility that the concealment of information may be permitted.
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The state of Maine is considering a bill that would establish abortion and gender reassignment surgery as “legal rights.” (AP Photo/Paul Sancia, File)
Republicans opposed to the bill say it could allow the inadvertent “kidnapping” of juveniles from states with more restrictive access to such procedures if they are brought across state lines to Maine. Warning that there is sex.
“Interference with that right is against national policy and that means interference. No matter who that interference is, even if it is a parent, access to these services is legal so they has no right to interfere,” the Republican said. Laurel Libby told FOX News Digital in an interview Wednesday.
If litigation in another state prevents an individual from accessing legitimate services or assisting others in doing so, it may be considered adversarial and prompt legal action. Libby added.
“So the idea is that Maine would basically be a sanctuary state for all abortions and transgender medical care. So, yeah, there’s no redress through the courts,” she said.
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Maine State Capitol. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bucati, File)
Currently, at least 23 states restrict or ban transgender surgical procedures for minors. Advocates of the bill in Maine, including Planned Parenthood, say it would provide much-needed protections for health care workers in the state.
“This bill is fundamentally about access to health care,” Planned Parenthood spokeswoman Lisa Margulies said during Tuesday’s hearing. “And to resist the devastating effects of medical restrictions enacted by other states, which are enacted for political rather than medical reasons.”
Margulies went on to describe actions taken by “extremist” lawmakers to restrict abortion care in other states.
“We can provide our own legal standards of care and we can also bring our own criminal prosecutions,” she said.
Patience Crozier, director of the LGBTQ+ Legal Advocates and Advocates Association (GLAD), suggested that restrictive laws against the process in other states are “a truly horrific attack on transgender people.”
“In Maine, where reproductive and transgender health care is legal, I think this bill is extremely important to express Maine values and ensure health care providers are protected from attacks from other states.” said Crozier.
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Previous restrictions on abortion in North Dakota are being challenged in court by what was once the state’s only abortion clinic. Pictured is an abortion clinic in Idaho. (Darin Oswald/Idaho Statesman/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
But several Republican lawmakers remain concerned that the 21-page bill provides a loophole that would require someone other than the parent to ride in the car if the child disagrees with the decision. This issue was raised repeatedly during public hearings.
“This attack on family values is extreme,” said Republican state Rep. Josh Morris. “This sanctions kidnapping and protects doctors from all consequences.”
The American Psychological Association (APA) issued a resolution this month calling for accredited psychological institutions to support “unimpeded access to evidence-based clinical care for transgender, gender diverse, and nonbinary children, adolescents, and adults.” requested the teachers.
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“Evidence-based clinical care, including gender-affirming care, must be non-coercive, adapted to and centered on the needs of the individual receiving care, and should be “It must be rooted in psychology and clinical science, including recognition of gender diversity as part of diversity. It must also include recognition of the limitations of the current state of scientific knowledge.” is written.
APA also encouraged all licensed psychologists to “stand together” against the spread of “misinformation” about surgical and non-surgical procedures. transgender treatment.
