Maine is on the docket to becoming a "sanctuary state" for children seeking to undergo life-alternating transgender treatments.
In an effort to create a "safe space" for teens, Maine's state legislature is eyeing a bill that would give authorities the right to take custody of kids away from parents and guardians who oppose allowing medical providers to impose "gender-affirming care" onto their children.
The "Act to Safeguard Gender Affirming Health Care" would allow a "court to take temporary jurisdiction because a child has been unable to obtain gender-affirming health care or gender-affirming mental health care."
LD1735, brought forth by Rep. Laurie Osher (D-Orono), would also authorize out-of-state children to access hormone blockers or surgery without their parent's consent, regardless of their own state's laws.
Public outrage forced a work session on the bill to be postponed until January 25. Critics of the bill described it as "state-sanctioned kidnapping," arguing it would allow just anyone to bring a minor to Maine for gender-affirming care without the knowledge or permission of a parent.
Osher reportedly instructed staffers to design the bill based on similar legislation in California— which is one of the most woke, trans-friendly states in the nation. Last year, Gov. Gavin Newsom's (D-CA) state passed a bill that allows courts to weigh conflicts over "gender-affirming care" in custody battles, overwhelmingly favoring the child seeking transgender care over parental concern.
BREAKING: New proposed bill in Maine says the state can take custody of a kid if the parents oppose s*x change surgery and the chemical castration of their kids.
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) January 16, 2024
Tomorrow a committee will decide if this bill moves forward.
Here’s the email addresses of all the committee… pic.twitter.com/LniGzK7skB
In 2023, Maine advanced legislation that allows children to access gender-affirming health care without a parents' consent as long as they are over 16 and meet specific criteria such as being diagnosed with gender dysphoria, be at risk of harm if they don't receive care, and declare their parent is aware but has refused to support their transgender treatment.
"'The state should never place itself above a loving parent and irreparably destroy the reproductive health of a minor child," state Rep. Katrina Smith (R-Palermo) said.
Courage is A Habit, a campaign group focused on destroying the Left's progressive transgender push, labeled the bill as a "transgender trafficking" bill.
"There is a lack of long-term studies on the benefits of 'gender-affirming care,' which could result in the life-long sterilization and surgical mutilation of children," the group wrote. "Protecting parental rights and the well-being of children should be our top priority. I urge you to vote "ought not to pass" on LD 1735."