Maine lawmakers to hold public hearing on bill to protect providers of reproductive care and essential health care for transgender people

(Portland, MAINE) – As attacks on reproductive health care and essential health care for transgender people continue in states across the country, Maine lawmakers will consider legislation to protect Maine providers and patients, from hostile actions by out-of-state actors.

The Maine legislature's Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services (HCIFS) Committee will hold a public hearing on LD 227, An Act Regarding Health Care in the State, sponsored by Rep. Anne Perry (D-Calais), at 1 p.m. today. 

This bill aims to ensure Maine's health care providers aren’t penalized under the laws of other states that have banned access to established, standard-of-care transgender health care and reproductive care and to ensure patients can continue to receive quality, legal, essential medical care in Maine. 

To date, 21 states across the country have enacted bans or near total bans on abortion. State and federal lawmakers opposed to comprehensive reproductive health care have acted to ban or restrict forms of contraception, and a court in Alabama issued a ruling recently imperiling in vitro fertilization in that state, causing providers to shut down IVF services. 

At least 23 states have banned access to safe and effective medical care for transgender adolescents and some have moved to restrict access to care for transgender adults.  

LD 227 is consistent with Governor Janet Mills’ July 2022 executive order safeguarding providers and patients of reproductive care in the wake of the Dobbs Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade. It also builds on legislation passed by Maine lawmakers in June 2023 that protects reproductive health care providers from adverse actions by malpractice insurers. 

Statement from Lisa Margulies, Esq., Vice President of Public Affairs, Planned Parenthood Maine Action Fund and Planned Parenthood of Northern New England

“Full spectrum reproductive health care and gender-affirming health care are essential, lifesaving services that are safe and legal in Maine. With LD 227, our elected leaders have an opportunity to stand up for safe, legal medical care by protecting providers who offer that care and the patients who seek it. 

Since Dobbs, we have seen escalating attacks on abortion care and essential medical care for transgender people by extremists who are desperate to interfere with our personal medical decisions, with many state legislatures banning this basic, essential care. Maine is not immune to the disingenuous and harmful rhetoric spread by extremists opposed to people accessing safe, legal medical care, and it is critical that our lawmakers listen to the facts and act to protect providers, patients, and people who help patients access this care.” 

Statement from Polly Crozier, Director of Family Advocacy, GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) 

“LD 227 is a straightforward bill to ensure that Maine law can continue to govern Maine health care. Maine is committed to protecting access to essential health care for transgender people and to reproductive health care, including abortion. Yet politicians in some states have shown their intent to prevent people from accessing this vital health care anywhere. This legislation will safeguard Maine’s health care infrastructure from hostile laws passed for political, not medical, purposes in other states and ensure Maine providers can continue to deliver high quality, standard-of-care medical care.” 

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Planned Parenthood Maine Action Fund is an independent, nonpartisan, not-for-profit membership organization formed as the advocacy and political arm of Planned Parenthood of Northern New England in Maine. PPNNE has four health centers in Maine and sees more than 12,000 patients a year. 

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Through strategic litigation, public policy advocacy, and education, GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders works in New England and nationally to create a just society free of discrimination based on gender identity and expression, HIV status, and sexual orientation. www.glad.org