PORTLAND (WGME) — A bill aiming to prevent the enforcement of laws from other states if a teenager has been brought to Maine to receive sex change drugs or surgeries will be the topic of a committee meeting in Augusta on Thursday.
It’s called LD 1735, “An Act to Safeguard Gender Affirming Health Care.”
If passed, it would grant Maine temporary emergency jurisdiction over teens from other states who are unable to access gender affirming health care due to parental or guardian opposition.
For opponents, it’s an overreach and all about parental rights.
For supporters, it’s about the health and safety of transgender youth.
“I expect an amendment to come through to make it a little more palatable,” Rep. Katrina Smith (R-Palermo) said. “To me, I won’t accept any amendment. This is not something that we should be doing. We already have laws on the books to protect kids in this area. This is not something the committee should do. They should kill the bill.”
CBS13 sent an invite to the Maine Democratic Party to talk about the bill, but they did not provide a guest.
