Maine’s Democratic-controlled legislature gave final approval Friday to a bill that would protect health care providers who provide abortion and gender-affirming care from legal actions filed in other states.
If signed by Democratic Gov. Janet Mills, Maine would join more than a dozen states that protect medical providers and others from out-of-state investigations into abortions. Republicans were firmly against the bill to protect against out-of-state lawsuits.
The Maine Senate voted 21-13 on Friday, a day after a 76-67 vote in the House.
The votes came after attorneys general from 16 states, including Tennessee, threatened legal action if Maine moved forward with a shield law that would prevent out-of-state repercussions for those who have abortions and what they described as “transitional surgeries.” gender for children”.
Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey called those accusations “meritless” and said the protective laws were necessary because of efforts by other states “to punish beyond their borders lawful behavior occurring in Maine and other States”.
“Harmony between our states would be best preserved and promoted by exercising restraint on the part of all parties seeking to control policy choices related to health care in other states,” Frey previously said in a statement.
There was a heated debate over the measure in Maine.
The Maine House on Thursday censured two lawmakers after one of them accused legislative colleagues of bringing down the wrath of God in the form of a mass shooting and recent storms by enacting such laws. The legislator, and another who agreed with him, were forced to make a formal apology on the House floor in order to speak and vote.
“We are grateful and proud of all the lawmakers in the legislature who endured threats of violence, abhorrent political rhetoric and rampant misinformation to run for office and vote to protect safe and legal health care in Maine,” said Lisa Margulies of the Planned Parenthood Maine Action Fund .
Abortion is legal in Maine at all stages of pregnancy with a doctor’s approval. And lawmakers last year approved a bill that allows 16- and 17-year-olds to receive limited gender-affirming care that does not include surgery, in some cases without parental consent. However, Maine law does not allow sex change surgery without parental consent for minors.
Since the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022 and ended the national right to abortion, states went in opposite directions. Most of those under Republican control now have bans or other restrictions in place. Fourteen states now prohibit abortion at all stages of pregnancy, with limited exceptions. Most Democratic-dominated states have taken steps to protect access.
At least 13 states have shield laws that shield medical providers and others from out-of-state investigations into abortions — and at least nine, including Maine, have executive orders establishing similar policies.
It’s a similar situation with gender-affirming care for minors.
At least 24 states have adopted laws in the past three years banning or limiting treatments including puberty blockers, hormone therapy and gender-affirming surgery — which is rare for younger patients — for minors. At least 12 states have protective laws that apply to gender-affirming care and two have executive orders.
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Associated Press writer Geoff Mulvihill in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, contributed to this report.
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