Maine’s Democrat-dominated legislature passed a bill, LD 227, that would shield abortion and gender transition surgeons from lawsuits for providing services to minors. The bill protects medical providers offering services that are unlawful in other states, such as abortion and gender transition procedures or hormones. It also allows for legal action against law enforcement officials enforcing state laws, even if they have been deemed constitutional by federal appellate courts. With a Democratic governor expected to sign the bill into law, Republican state Rep. Laurel Libby stressed the importance of electing enough Republicans in the upcoming election to make significant changes and protect parental rights.
The bill is part of a larger effort across blue states to shield medical providers performing abortions or transgender surgeries on minors without full parental support. More than a dozen states have similar shield laws in place to protect abortion providers from out-of-state investigations where abortion is illegal. LD 227 would also prohibit interference with abortion or sex change procedures, protect medical workers from lawsuits, and potentially allow for the concealment of medical records from plaintiffs pursuing legal action. Opponents of the bill warn that it may inadvertently allow for adolescents from states with heavier restrictions to be taken to Maine for these procedures, potentially leading to kidnapping.
Following the passing of the bill, 16 attorneys general sent a letter denouncing the legislation as a “state-sanctioned culture war litigation tourism.” Abortion is legal in Maine up until full term of a woman’s pregnancy, and last year, the state approved the use of transition medication for 16- and 17-year-olds without parental consent. Despite restrictions or bans in at least 23 states on transgender surgical procedures for minors, proponents of Maine’s bill, including Planned Parenthood, argue that it provides necessary protection for medical providers in the state.
The bill, if signed into law by the state’s governor, would protect medical providers offering services to minors that are controversial or restricted in other states. It would also create a mechanism for legal action against officials enforcing state laws deemed constitutional by federal appellate courts. Opponents of the bill are concerned that it may lead to adolescents being taken across state lines to Maine for procedures that are restricted in their home states, potentially resulting in kidnapping.
The passing of the bill has sparked controversy, with 16 attorneys general denouncing the legislation as a “state-sanctioned culture war litigation tourism.” Abortion is legal in Maine up until full term, and the state has already approved transition medication for minors without parental consent. Proponents of the bill argue that it provides much-needed protection for medical providers in the state, while opponents caution against potential unintended consequences. It remains to be seen how the bill will impact medical practices and the rights of minors in Maine.
