The Maine Legislature's Judiciary Committee voted against a bill that sought to allow out-of-state minors to travel to Maine to undergo gender reassignment procedures. The bill also would have allowed the state to assume “emergency jurisdiction” of children who were in emergency conditions, taking away the decision-making power of the parents.
Democratic legislators voted with Republicans. The bill, LD 1375, also called the Act to Safeguard Gender-Affirming Health Care, was called "dangerous" by GOP members. The Democratic side of the aisle opposed the bill, with many believing it needs to be rewritten.
‘Parents shouldn’t have their rights threatened’
Lisa Keim, state senator from the Republican Party, said she voted no to defend the rights of parents, in statements reported by Fox News:
Around the country have reached out to talk to us about this bill. Parents shouldn’t have their rights threatened in this way, and this is a dangerous bill for children.
Representative Rachel Henderson, also of the Republican Party, was more forceful in expressing her opinion on the bill:
This gives the state jurisdiction to effectively come into your home and take your kids based on a medical decision you made for the wellbeing and mental wellbeing of your child.
While Katrina J. Smith, another Republican representative, blamed certain social media users for inciting minors to undergo sex change procedures:
Maine is going to open the doors to this and open the door to kids who meet someone on TikTok, and they get the idea that they need this surgery or hormone replacement therapy, and they're going to grab a bus or someone is going to come pick them up and bring them to Maine and a parent is not going to do a thing about it.
Matthew Moonen, a Democratic state representative, was one of the bill's sponsors. However, he decided to opt for an “ought not to pass” motion and request a rewrite.
