A controversial “transgender trafficking” bill officially became Maine law on Monday after receiving the signature of Gov. Janet Mills.
“This bill is not about access to health care,” said Rep. Reagan Paul (R-Winterport), speaking out against the bill during house proceedings, “This bill is about empowering abusers.”
“It should be no surprise to anyone, who has been paying attention, that Janet Mills and the Democrats in Augusta continue to carry the water for the radical special interest groups that have put them in power. LD 227 is just the latest unconscionable idea that the government knows better than the parents of minor children and that Democrat politicians have zero interest in listening to the Maine people,” said Maine Republican Chair Joel Stetkis in comments provided to The Maine Wire, “Mainers have been able to see exactly what one-party Democrat rule in Augusta looks like and we have faith that come November Mainers will support Republicans and our efforts to bring their voices to their government and stop these radical ideas and return Maine to the normal place we all love.”
[RELATED: Legal Right to “Gender-Affirming” and “Reproductive Health Care” Heads to Maine Gov. Janet Mills…]
The bill, LD 227, grants legal protections for providers of abortions and transgender surgeries who preform their services on people from states with more restrictive laws than Maine.
The bill institutes legal rights to “gender-affirming health care” and “reproductive health care,” and provides for legal action to be taken against anyone who interferes with someone trying to procure those services.
One portion of the law, which has raised serious concerns among Republicans and parental rights activists, provides legal protections to anyone bringing a minor into Maine for an abortion or to receive transgender treatment.
The protections will apply even if the adult is not a parent of the minor, and has not notified the parents.
Republicans have raised concerns that this could be used to defend an abuser kidnapping a minor and forcing her to get an abortion without parental knowledge.
Proponents of the law have denied claims that the bill could be used to enable criminal activities, and have defended the bill as a way to protect the ability of out-of-state people to receive health care.
The law has also drawn the ire of out of state Republican Attorneys General (AG), for defending people who commit crimes in other states.
[RELATED: GOP AGs Threaten Maine Over “totalitarian” Child Sex-Change Bill…]
In March, AGs from 16 Republican controlled states penned a letter threatening legal action against Maine if LD 227 were to become law.
“If Maine pursues LD 227’s constitutionally defective approach, we will vigorously avail ourselves of every recourse our Constitution provides,” said the AGs.
It is unclear whether the Republican states will follow through on their threat now that the bill has received its final approval from Gov. Mills.
Mills’ press secretary did not immediately respond to a request for comment on her decision to sign the controversial bill into law.
While the governor’s office issued press releases on Mills’ decision to sign other bills into law, such as the supplementary budget, it has been silent with regard to LD 227.
Updated to add a comment from Maine Republican Chair Joel Stetkis.
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="27566 https://www.themainewire.com/?p=27566">17 Comments
Adults that “counsel” or promote gender reassignment to children (remember, a child is younger than 21 when gun death statistics are cited) should be placed on the sex offenders list permanently.
Not a problem, easily fixed when a real governor is elected. I can not wait till the rainy day fund is exhausted trying to defend this in court.
We need to stop calling murdering babies abortion. Call it what it really is child sacrifice. That also goes for anyone who follows this mental illness called transgender. These people are lost they don’t even recognize reality but live in such delusion not realizing they are promoting satanism.
I feel sorry for any child that has been through this abuse. Thr perpetrators should be thrown in the sea with a millstone around their neck. By the way did you know you can get over $40,000 for a baby fetuse probably why planned parenthood is the 4th most killer of Americans.
The Dirty Dems are evil.
They have just given themselves permission to kidnap children, mutilate them and destroy their lives.
Along with them passing the law allowing killing babies in the moments before birth and their constant harping about wanting to talk sex of all kinds to children, they prove how much they hate children. They work to destroy children.
They can’t even make sure kids in the care of the state are safe.
Pure evil.
The first time they kidnap a kid it will most likely go to court I hope. I hope the state loses.
Pure evil
…never ceases to amaze me how legislation titles are completely opposite of the intended use and purpose:
https://theconversation.com/in-congress-the-name-of-a-bill-may-have-nothing-to-do-with-whats-in-it-its-all-about-salesmanship-188040
“Mainers have been able to see exactly what one-party Democrat rule in Augusta looks like and we have faith that come November Mainers will support Republicans and our efforts to bring their voices to their government and stop these radical ideas and return Maine to the normal place we all love.”
Yes, but you know what we haven’t seen ? One single Republican standing up to it. Does Maine even HAVE a Republican party anymore ? Even those who CLAIM to be Republicans are closet democRATS, or openly so, like Susan Collins for example.
the governor and legislature have just legalized child trafficking
Mills is pure garbage — Dems want the destruction of civilization.
I would be very surprised to hear anything about this at this weekend’s State GOP Convention.
Too many people too afraid of being called names to take a strong stand against this evil stuff.
Stay mad you right wing chuds.
What’s a chud? If being one is for preventing child mutilation and murder then I guess I am one.
This is so obscene that I can’t think of anything to say!
So, how many of you here voted for this old bag?
This is a soft genocide disguise as civil rights
Maine needs to reintroduce ‘gubernatorial recall’ so that we the people can remove them from office when they perform as badly as Mills has. Is there anyone with integrity in the State House that would introduce impeachment proceeding against this Governor for misconduct committed since she has been in office. signing this Bill is a crime that needs to be addressed.
This is what you voted for, now you get to deal with it.