Notícias

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Defensores elogiam aprovação e assinatura da lei de proteção que protegerá provedores de cuidados reprodutivos e cuidados para pessoas transgênero do Maine de ataques de fora do estado

Maine se junta a mais de uma dúzia de estados na promulgação de proteções, enquanto o governo Biden anuncia proteções semelhantes para pacientes com aborto sob a lei federal de privacidade do paciente

(Portland, MAINE) – A governadora Janet Mills sancionou um projeto de lei que protegerá os provedores de serviços de saúde reprodutiva e de assistência a pessoas transgênero do Maine contra ataques de fora do estado. A medida, LD 227, foi aprovada pelo legislativo em 12 de abril e entrará em vigor em meados de julho.

Os legisladores ouviram de numerosos habitantes do Maine e prestadores de cuidados que defenderam a medida em março. Nos dias que se seguiram à audiência pública, os legisladores enfrentaram físico e ameaças políticas juntamente com a desinformação desenfreada. Além disso, procuradores-gerais de 16 estados republicanos ameaçaram com ações judiciais se a legislatura do Maine continuasse trabalhando no projeto de lei. Como o procurador-geral do Maine, Aaron Frey, declarou, o projeto de lei “simplesmente protege os provedores de cuidados de saúde reprodutiva e de afirmação de gênero legalmente protegidos, prestados no Maine, de interferências ou retaliações de estados com políticas diferentes”.

Até o momento, 21 estados em todo o país promulgaram proibições ou proibições quase totais ao aborto. Pelo menos 24 estados proibiram o acesso a cuidados médicos seguros e eficazes para adolescentes transgênero, e alguns tomaram medidas para restringir o acesso a cuidados para adultos transgênero.

A assinatura de Mills ocorreu no mesmo dia em que o governo Biden anunciou uma nova regra federal— em conformidade com a LD 227 — que protege os registros médicos de pacientes que realizam aborto de serem divulgados às autoridades policiais caso o procedimento seja realizado em um estado onde seja legal ou protegido por lei federal. A regra do governo Biden se baseia na Lei de Portabilidade e Responsabilidade de Seguros de Saúde (HIPAA).

O LD 227 foi aprovado em 12 de abril e foi sancionada como lei pelo governador Mills em 22 de abril. Rhode Island seguiu o exemplo e o governador McKee sancionou um projeto de lei do Health Care Shield em junho.

LD 227 é consistente com a proposta da governadora Janet Mills de julho de 2022 ordem executiva salvaguardar os prestadores e pacientes de cuidados reprodutivos na sequência da decisão da Suprema Corte de Dobbs que anulou Roe v. Wade. Também se baseia em legislação aprovada pelos legisladores do Maine em junho de 2023 que protege os prestadores de cuidados de saúde reprodutiva de ações adversas de seguradoras de negligência médica.

Declaração de Lisa Margulies, Esq., Vice-Presidente de Relações Públicas, Planned Parenthood Maine Action Fund

Aplaudimos todos os legisladores que defenderam os profissionais de saúde, os pacientes e o povo do Maine e votaram a favor deste projeto de lei. Agradecemos à Governadora Mills por seu compromisso em garantir que os moradores do Maine tenham acesso seguro a cuidados médicos essenciais e em proteger nossos profissionais de saúde de ataques hostis.

Nosso estado envia uma mensagem clara com a LD 227: o Maine continua sendo um porto seguro para os cuidados de saúde sexual e reprodutiva, tanto para os profissionais de saúde quanto para os pacientes que atendem. Extremistas que se opõem a cuidados médicos seguros e legais não interromperão seus ataques aos nossos direitos, mas não seremos intimidados por seus ataques.

Os médicos merecem atender seus pacientes sem medo de perseguição por políticos de fora do estado, totalmente desqualificados para opinar sobre decisões médicas pessoais. Os pacientes merecem acesso a cuidados de saúde seguros e legais em nosso estado. A Lei 227 protege nossa infraestrutura de saúde de tentativas extremistas de tirar nossos direitos e liberdades.

Declaração de Polly Crozier, Diretora de Defesa da Família, GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD)

À medida que políticos em cada vez mais estados buscam nos privar da capacidade de tomar decisões médicas importantes e privadas para nós mesmos e nossas famílias, precisamos fazer tudo o que estiver ao nosso alcance para garantir que a assistência médica vital e de padrão padrão permaneça legal e acessível. A Lei 227 garantirá o acesso à saúde reprodutiva e à saúde essencial para pessoas transgênero e protegerá os profissionais dedicados que a prestam no Maine.

Declaração de Mary Bonauto, Diretora Sênior de Direitos Civis e Estratégias Legais, GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders

Somos gratos à Governadora Mills, às principais patrocinadoras, a Deputada Anne Perry e a Senadora Donna Bailey, e a todos os legisladores que se concentraram na necessidade de proteger nossos profissionais de saúde no Maine e que persistiram apesar da desinformação e da intimidação usadas para tentar impedir esta legislação crucial. A LD 227 garante que a legislação do Maine regerá a assistência médica no Maine e que os profissionais que prestam esse serviço sejam protegidos. Esta lei reafirma o compromisso do Estado com a liberdade reprodutiva e a igualdade para os transgêneros do Maine.

Declaração de Gia Drew, Diretora Executiva da EqualityMaine

Estamos entusiasmados em ver o LD 227, o projeto de lei do escudo, ser sancionado pela Governadora Mills. Agradecemos aos nossos representantes eleitos pró-igualdade e pró-escolha reprodutiva que se recusaram a recuar diante da desinformação. Este projeto de lei não poderia entrar em vigor em melhor hora, já que mais de 401 estados em todo o país proibiram ou tentaram bloquear o acesso a cuidados reprodutivos, o que inclui abortos, bem como assistência médica transgênero para menores. Agradecemos aos nossos parceiros de coalizão que trabalharam incansavelmente para fazer campanhas telefônicas, fazer lobby e levar este projeto de lei à frente para proteger a saúde da comunidade.

Declaração de Cait Vaughan, Diretora Executiva Interina da Avós pelos Direitos Reprodutivos (GRR!)

Como uma organização de mulheres mais velhas que investiram mais de 50 anos na promoção do respeito à autonomia corporal, a GRR! tem o prazer de aprender e trabalhar em conjunto com líderes transgêneros para ampliar a compreensão de todos sobre este princípio democrático fundamental. A promulgação da Lei 227 nos orgulha do compromisso do Maine em proteger o acesso à saúde para todos.

Declaração de Aspen Ruhlin, Gerente de Engajamento Comunitário, Mabel Wadsworth Center

Com a aprovação e assinatura da LD 227, o Maine declarou inequivocamente que tanto pacientes quanto prestadores de cuidados de afirmação de gênero e de aborto merecem proteção. Este projeto de lei ajudará a garantir não apenas o acesso aos cuidados para os moradores do Maine e seus visitantes, mas também a privacidade médica. A oposição a este projeto de lei foi veemente, mas nem de longe tão veemente quanto a verdade, a compaixão e o cuidado.

Declaração de George A. Hill, Presidente e CEO da Maine Family Planning

Com a afirmação de gênero e os cuidados reprodutivos sob ataque em todo o país, é crucial garantir que os indivíduos tenham o direito fundamental de fazer escolhas médicas informadas em colaboração com profissionais de saúde confiáveis. Somos gratos à Assembleia Legislativa e à Governadora Mills por reconhecerem que o Maine deve proteger o acesso aos cuidados médicos de alta qualidade e necessários que nós e outras organizações de saúde oferecemos aos nossos pacientes.

Declaração de Bre Danvers-Kidman, MaineTransNet

Embora a retórica odiosa e as táticas terroristas que antecederam as votações apontem para uma tendência preocupante no discurso político, estamos animados com a aprovação do Projeto de Lei LD 227. Os profissionais de saúde do Maine agora podem ter certeza de que é seguro prestar cuidados baseados em evidências e que salvam vidas, sem medo de criminalização pelas mãos autoritárias de políticos de outros estados. Da mesma forma, os pacientes que buscam atendimento no Maine agora podem ter certeza de que é seguro acessar os cuidados de saúde de que precisam. O governador e a maioria dos legisladores do Maine demonstraram excepcional firmeza diante de comportamentos verdadeiramente repreensíveis, e nosso estado se beneficia disso. A mensagem é clara: o Maine não permitirá que o extremismo de extrema direita, a desinformação absurda ou mesmo o terrorismo doméstico impeçam que todos os pacientes tenham acesso seguro aos melhores cuidados de saúde disponíveis aqui.

Declaração de Destie Hohman Sprague, do Lobby Feminino do Maine

Um Maine com justiça de gênero garante que todos os habitantes do Maine tenham acesso a cuidados de saúde de qualidade que apoiem seu bem-estar mental e físico e sua autonomia corporal, incluindo cuidados reprodutivos abrangentes e de afirmação de gênero. Celebramos a aprovação da LD 227, que nos ajuda a atingir esse objetivo. Ainda assim, os padrões de violência e desinformação antes da votação refletiram as crescentes conexões entre misoginia, extremismo e ameaças e ações antidemocráticas. Devemos continuar a defender políticas que protejam a autonomia corporal e combater a retórica extremista que ameaça os direitos de nossos estados e as liberdades de nossos cidadãos.

Declaração de Abbie Strout-Bentes, Diretora Executiva da Safe Abortions for Everyone (SAFE)

“Estamos testemunhando atualmente ataques sem precedentes aos cuidados de afirmação de gênero e ao acesso ao aborto em todo o país. No entanto, temos a sorte de viver no Maine, onde os líderes continuam a enxergar mentiras e táticas de intimidação. Hoje, agradecemos aos legisladores e defensores do Maine enquanto a governadora Mills assina o LD 227, outro projeto de lei crucial para proteger e garantir o acesso a cuidados de afirmação de gênero e saúde reprodutiva.”

Notícias

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Declarações da GLAD e da Planned Parenthood sobre a aprovação da promulgação final do LD 227

Declaração de Lisa Margulies, Esq., Vice-Presidente de Relações Públicas do Fundo de Ação do Planned Parenthood Maine sobre a votação final para promulgar o LD 227

Agradecemos aos legisladores que, mais uma vez, disseram em alto e bom som: protegeremos os profissionais de saúde do Maine de ataques. O LD 227 é um projeto de lei que garantirá que os profissionais de saúde do estado que prestam serviços essenciais de saúde reprodutiva e de saúde para pessoas trans possam continuar a prestar assistência médica segura e legal no Maine, sem medo de ações hostis decorrentes das leis de outros estados.

Somos gratos e orgulhosos de todos os legisladores na legislatura que suportaram ameaças de violência, retórica política abominável e desinformação desenfreada para se posicionarem e votarem para proteger cuidados médicos seguros e legais no Maine.”

Declaração de Polly Crozier, Diretora de Defesa da Família, GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) sobre a votação final para promulgar o LD 227

Hoje, a legislatura do Maine defendeu o princípio de que a legislação do Maine deve reger os cuidados de saúde no estado. Os moradores do Maine compreendem a importância de manter as decisões sobre saúde entre indivíduos, famílias e médicos – e não entre políticos. O Projeto de Lei 227 garantirá que os cuidados de saúde reprodutiva e os cuidados de saúde essenciais para pessoas transgênero permaneçam acessíveis no estado e que os dedicados profissionais de saúde do Maine não sejam penalizados pelo excesso de leis hostis vindas de fora do estado. Somos gratos às principais autoras do projeto, a Senadora Donna Bailey e a Deputada Anne Perry, a todos os membros da Câmara e do Senado que compareceram, se manifestaram e trabalharam diligentemente para garantir que este projeto de lei avançasse e votassem para sua promulgação final.

Notícias

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GLAD and Planned Parenthood statements on Maine Senate vote to advance LD 227

Statement from Lisa Margulies, Esq., Vice President of Public Affairs, Planned Parenthood Maine Action Fund on the Maine State Senate’s vote to advance LD 227

“Thank you to the elected leaders in the Senate voted to protect Maine providers. Today is another proud day for Mainers. Twenty-one senators have voted to advance this bill that, at its core, is meant to protect Maine providers from hostile attacks and allow them to continue to practice essential, lifesaving medicine in our state without fear.

Extremists will continue to spread lies and hateful rhetoric about reproductive health care and care for transgender people, but today’s vote made clear that a majority of our elected leaders in the Maine State Senate will focus on the facts and act with compassion and urgency to meet our current moment with policy that is necessary and appropriate.”

Statement from Polly Crozier, Director of Family Advocacy, GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) on the Maine State Senate’s vote to advance LD 227

“LD 227 is a straightforward bill that will protect Maine’s dedicated health care providers and safeguard access to essential reproductive health care and health care for transgender people in Maine. We are grateful to Senator Donna Bailey for her leadership and to each of the Senators who voted today to move this important bill forward.”

Learn more about LD227

Notícias

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Maine House advances bill to shield providers from out-of-state attacks

LD 227 will safeguard Maine clinicians from government overreach stemming from states that have banned reproductive care or care for transgender people

(Portland, MAINE) – In the wake of bomb threats, political attacks, and lies spread by lawmakers opposed to the measure, a majority of Maine House lawmakers today voted to advance a bill that will safeguard providers of reproductive care and care for transgender people from hostile attacks based on laws in other states.

Eighty elected leaders voted to pass LD 227, An Act Regarding Health Care in the State, sponsored by Rep. Anne Perry (D-Calais), and 70 cast votes in opposition to the measure, which has the support of Maine Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Maine Medical Association and Maine Psychological Association, among others.

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. Twenty-four 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.

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

 “Maine is one step closer to protecting our providers of essential medical care from hostile attacks by out-of-state extremists. We applaud the 80 elected leaders who voted to advance LD 227 in the face of vile rhetoric and lies, political posturing and threats of violence.

Thankfully, reproductive care and care for transgender people remains legal in Maine. LD 227 is a necessary response to a tumultuous national landscape in which practitioners of essential and lifesaving care are under attack.

This bill is about ensuring our providers of reproductive care and care for transgender people can offer safe, legal medical care in Maine without fear of government overreach from other states.”

Declaração de Polly Crozier, Diretora de Defesa da Família, GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD)

“We’re grateful to Representative Perry for championing this important bill in the House, and to the 80 Representatives who understood that LD 227 will protect access to essential, standard-of-care health care and the Maine practitioners and providers who deliver it. We look forward to working next with the Senate and hope to see LD 227 advance to safeguard Maine’s health care infrastructure from hostile laws passed for political, not medical, purposes in other states.”

Learn more about LD227

Recursos Escolares | Juventude | Maine

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As escolas devem ser locais centrados nos alunos, onde os jovens se sintam seguros e possam aprender o que precisam para ter sucesso na vida. No entanto, políticos extremistas e grupos nacionais bem financiados estão tentando transformar escolas públicas e bibliotecas escolares em locais de ataques contra pessoas LGBTQ+, especialmente jovens, e suas famílias.

But youth in Maine public schools have rights, and our schools have a responsibility to ensure all students, including LGBTQ+ students, are safe, supported, and able to learn. GLAD and our partners are sharing these resources on your rights as a student, parent, and educator.

Visite nosso Maine Know Your Rights page for LGBTQ+ students para saber mais.

Recursos do Maine

Conheça seus direitos

Não discriminação: Maine General Laws prohibit discrimination in educational programs, opportunities and other matters based on gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, and perceived sexual orientation in Maine public schools. You can read more under GL 5 Me. Rev. Stat. sec. 4602 

Anti-bullying: Maine has one strong anti-bullying law with strict requirements that schools must follow to protect students from a wide variety of bullying, be it physical, verbal, or online.

Orientação para Escolas: The Maine Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has created a set of eight principles and practices to support LGBTQ youth in schools at Foundational Practices to Support LGBTQ+ Students.  

Saiba mais sobre youth rights in Maine on the following Know Your Rights pages

What to do if you or your child is experiencing bullying, discrimination, or mistreatment in school 

If you believe your rights are being violated, visit our Rights of LGBTQ Students in Maine page to learn more about what steps you can take.

Sobre a censura escolar e a proibição de livros

On May 16, 2023, the ACLU and GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) enviou uma carta urging Maine public school districts to protect students’ legal rights by rejecting censorship in school libraries.

Saiba mais aqui.

Envolva-se na sua comunidade local

Acompanhe as questões que surgem no seu comitê escolar e no conselho municipal/municipal
Attend meetings when important issues are being discussed and even to participate in the public comment period in which School Board/Committee members listen to input from the public. It is important that they hear support for good work and good arguments for why LGBTQ+ and race-based restrictions are bad educational policy for all students.
Acompanhe a educação, o currículo, a equipe, as políticas, a biblioteca e outras questões no conselho escolar e nas eleições locais, ou concorra você mesmo a um cargo.

Para obter suporte para falar sobre questões relacionadas à educação e aos alunos LGBTQ+, e mais maneiras de agir, visite Campanha pelo Nosso Futuro Compartilhado.

Organizações e Recursos Adicionais

Organizações

The Maine Department of Education provides all Maine students access to educational experiences, Pre-K through adult, that lead to their success in life and career.
The Maine Human Rights Commission prohibits discrimination on the basis of protected class in employment, housing, places of public accommodation, education, and extension of credit.
Fundação para a Igualdade da Juventude Trans based in Maine serves all of New England, providing education, advocacy and support for transgender and gender non-conforming children and youth and their families.
Ação Juvenil do Maine Newtork (MYAN) é uma rede estadual de adultos comprometidos e jovens apaixonados que acreditam no poder transformador da liderança jovem.
IgualdadeMaine é a maior e mais antiga organização estadual dedicada a criar uma sociedade justa e equitativa para lésbicas, gays, bissexuais, transgêneros e queer do Maine.

Para mais organizações focadas em jovens, visite Organizações Juvenis | Maine.

Recursos adicionais

Want to learn more about LGBTQ+ Equality in Maine? Visit the Movement Advancement Project’s Maine Equality Profile.

Respostas GLAD

Ainda tem dúvidas? Entre em contato com a GLAD Answers para obter informações jurídicas, assistência e encaminhamentos gratuitos e confidenciais. Preencha o formulário de admissão online em GLADAnswers.org, e-mail GLADAnswers@glad.org, ou deixe uma mensagem de voz em 800-455-GLAD.

Inclusive and Consistent Data Governance in Maine

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Update: On March 28, 2024, Maine Governor Janet Mills signed LD1948 into law!

LD1948 will establish data policies according to best practices to protect privacy, provide public access, and ensure collaboration among stakeholders and the government. The bill provides a year for the development of a definition and standard for multiple demographic fields, including race, ethnicity, and sex, about which Maine already collects data, and now for sexual orientation, gender, citizenship, education, socioeconomic status, veteran status, disability status, and age.

GLAD submitted testemunho in support of LD1948 alongside EqualityMaine, OUT Maine, MaineTransNet, Maine Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Portland Outright, and the Maine Council on Aging.

Notícias

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Medical organizations, advocates urge lawmakers to pass bill to protect Maine’s providers of reproductive care and essential health care for transgender people

UPDATE: The HCIFS Committee voted to advance the bill.

As Maine lawmakers prepare to hold a work session on a bill that would protect the state’s reproductive and transgender care providers from hostile out-of-state attacks, leading medical and advocacy organizations are urging elected leaders to pass the legislation.

The Maine legislature’s Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services (HCIFS) Committee will hold a work session on LD 227, An Act Regarding Health Care in the State, sponsored by Rep. Anne Perry (D-Calais), today at 1 pm. LD 227 aims to ensure Maine law continues to govern health care practice and access in Maine, without hostile interference from other states.

Os legisladores ouviram de dozens of Mainers and care providers earlier this month. They’ve also faced físico e ameaças políticas in days following that hearing. The bill, however, as Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey declarou on March 12, would “simply protect providers of legally protected reproductive and gender-affirming health care provided in Maine from interference or retaliation from states with different policies.”

LD 227 would protect Maine health care practitioners who provide reproductive and transgender health care in line with the professional standards of care from investigations, subpoenas, arrests, and litigation arising from another state simply because that state has banned access to care that is legal in Maine. The bill would also protect Mainers from having their medical records or cell phone data about protected health care shared with law enforcement agencies in other states where such care is banned. LD 227 does not change what health care is available in Maine or when parental consent is required for minors to access reproductive or transgender health care.

LD 227 is supported by multiple Maine medical associations including Maine Association of Physicians Assistants, Maine Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics, Maine Medical Association, Maine Nurse Practitioner Association, Maine Osteopathic Association, Maine Psychological Association, and National Association of Social Workers, Maine.

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

“This bill is fundamentally about protecting medical care that is safe and legal in Maine. We know that people opposed to full spectrum reproductive care and care for transgender people will not stop their attempts to take away our rights. The threats our lawmakers and state have seen in the past few weeks serve as crystal clear evidence that Maine needs laws that protect providers, patients and our health care infrastructure. We urge our lawmakers to continue to stand against these attacks and vote to advance LD 227.”

Statement from Dee A. Kerry, Executive Director, American Academy of Pediatrics, Maine Chapter

“We denounce pieces of legislation passed in other states that seek to criminalize pediatricians and other physicians who provide medically necessary care to their patients. These bills are dangerous, both for patients and the pediatricians who care for them. Despite the misinformation that has proliferated regarding this bill, LD 227 is essential for ensuring that individuals in Maine have unimpeded access to gender-affirming care and reproductive health care services, and that health care practitioners can provide these services without fear of unwarranted legal consequences. By protecting these rights, Maine can set an example for upholding the principles of patient autonomy, non-discrimination, and access to necessary medical care.”

Declaração de Polly Crozier, Diretora de Defesa da Família, GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD)

“LD 227 is straightforward legislation to ensure that Maine law can continue to govern Maine health care. It 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.”

Statement from Gia Drew, Executive Director, Equality Maine

“Politically motivated bans on best-practice medicine are specifically targeting gender-affirming health care. These attacks single out transgender youth by blocking access to life saving medical care, care that is backed by years of rigorous research and endorsed by every leading medical authority. We know that transgender youth thrive and can lead healthy lives as teens and eventually as adults, when they are supported by their family and can get the healthcare they need to affirm who they are. This bill would not only protect Maine’s medical providers from overreach from other states, it would secure confidential medical information, and send a powerful message to transgender people and their families that Maine can be a refuge from the current political storms raging across the country.”

Statement from Evelyn Kieltyka, Senior Vice President of Program Services, Maine Family Planning

“Gender-affirming care is under attack in other states, putting providers at risk for vigilantism from licensing boards that would use interstate compacts to penalize clinicians or from insurers that would use them to reject coverage––all the things this bill protects against. People, not politicians, should have the freedom to make their own health decisions, including when it comes to their gender and reproductive care.”

Statement from Bonnie Case, Co-Director, Mabel Wadsworth Center

“Mabel Wadsworth Center supports LD 227 because we support patients and providers. We know that people seeking gender-affirming care and reproductive care, including abortion care, deserve autonomy and agency. Trusted Maine providers deserve to confidently provide essential healthcare without worry of being targeted by political agendas from other states.”

Statement from Bre Danvers-Kidman, Executive Director, Maine TransNet

“This isn’t just about transgender healthcare or reproductive healthcare; it’s about ensuring providers in Maine can feel secure that they will be protected by the laws of this state in providing the best possible care to their patients. Letting out-of-state actors criminalize our providers would have consequences that reach far beyond those of us the opposition seeks to demonize–and they would do well to remember that.”

Statement from Destie Hohman Sprague, Executive Director, Maine Women’s Lobby

“We can’t allow violent rhetoric to stop the important work of our Legislature, or of Maine health care providers to perform legal care within their scope of practice. Passing LD 227 sends a strong message that Maine supports access to critical health care that advances gender justice. It also sends a message that extremists can’t get their way through threats of violence: our democratic process and continued work for gender equity won’t be scared away.”

Statement from Sue Campbell, Executive Director, OUT Maine

“LD 227 safeguards not just access to reproductive and transgender healthcare but the fundamental right of individuals to make informed medical choices in collaboration with trusted providers. It ensures that every person, regardless of circumstance, can confidently seek essential care, knowing they are protected and supported.”

Learn more about LD227

Blogue

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Don’t let threats stop critical work and care for our communities

Our community and publicly elected allies are experiencing escalating threats and even violence as LGBTQ+ people are increasingly the subject of politicized, misleading rhetoric and punitive laws. Last Friday, International Women’s Day, this reached a despicable and unacceptable level in Maine.

In the wake of a virulent disinformation campaign by local and national anti-LGBTQ activists, opponents of LD 227 – a bill to protect Maine health care practitioners who provide legal patient care for transgender people and people seeking reproductive care – made bomb threats at the State and the personal homes of lawmakers. These threats sparked fear and disrupted the work of legislators, non-partisan staff, and Legislative Committees.

Thankfully, no bomb was found at the State House or in the homes of the legislators who sponsored LD 227. Thankfully, no one was hurt and the work of the legislature was only delayed by a few hours.

But the message, and the attempt to influence policy through intimidation, were clear: if you cannot win on the merits – win through fear.

We remain incredibly grateful to the legislators who continue their important work for all people of Maine on the many vital issues impacting them, and who now must do so in the face of these threats.

So we want to send a different message. A message of gratitude and strength. Of acknowledgment and partnership with legislators committed to making a positive difference for our State.

If you live in Maine, please email the members of the Committee on Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services as well as House and Senate leadership today to thank them for their work and ask them to move LD 227 forward this session.

To be clear, LD 227 is a straightforward bill. It seeks to protect Maine health care workers who provide essential, legal-in-Maine reproductive health care and transgender health care grounded in standards of care. It recognizes the very real efforts of actors outside of Maine to impose the hostile laws of other states against providers and patients in Maine. There are already 17 other states plus D.C. that have enacted shield laws for these same reasons.

We can’t allow violent rhetoric and threats to stop the important work of our legislature and of protecting our communities. We need our legislators and the public to know that we hold true to our values around caring for all people.

An essential component of that work is protecting those who provide essential, legal reproductive and transgender health care as proposed in LD 227.

There are many vital policy issues pending before the legislature this session that will make Maine safer, fairer, and more just for all people up and down our state.

One area of pressing need is increased statewide access to community-based mental and behavioral health care, as well as supports and services for substance use and addiction. These include:

LD 2237 – An Act to Strengthen Public Safety, Health and Well-being by Expanding Services and Coordinating Violence Prevention Resources
LD 1305 – Resolve, to Design and Implement a Community-based Model of Care for Adolescent Mental Health
LD 2002 – An Act to Provide Incentives to Schools That Contract for Certain Social Work and Family Therapy Services
LD 1178 – Resolve, to Reduce Barriers to Recovery from Addiction by Expanding Eligibility for Targeted Case Management Services
LD 2136 – An Act to Provide Financial Support for Shelters for Unhoused Individuals (with accompanying changes in the State Supplemental Budget)
LD 2214 – Which provides essential funding for Maine’s low barrier shelters.
LD 1779 – An Act to Develop a Continuum of Care for Youth Involved in the Justice System [proposed amendment to prevent justice involvement by law enforcement diversion to assessment rather than arrest, where appropriate]

Another is passing legislation to improve Maine’s gun safety laws, both in light of the mass shooting in Lewiston, as well as our rates of suicide by gun and domestic violence homicides involving firearms:

LD 2237 – An Act to Strengthen Public Safety, Health and Well-being by Expanding Services and Coordinating Violence Prevention Resources
LD 2224 – An Act to Strengthen Public Safety by Improving Maine’s Firearm Laws and Mental Health System
LD 2238 – An Act to Address Gun Violence in Maine by Requiring a Waiting Period for Certain Firearm Purchases

Other vital proposals would protect the right to sovereignty and self-determination of Wabanaki nations, bring to reality the commitment to teaching African American and Wabanaki History, establish a statewide data collection system, and protect the constitutional rights of defendants to legal representation.

LD 2007– An Act to Advance Self-determination for Wabanaki Nations
LD 2001 – Resolve, to Establish the African American and Wabanaki Studies Advisory Council and Provide Funding to Support African American Studies and Wabanaki Studies – to establish an advisory council with funding for content expertise and developing curricula and training)
LD 1948, An Act to Amend the State’s Data Governance Program – to develop a statewide governance plan for Maine with definitions for standards and definitions for a range of demographic characteristics, in collaboration with Secretary of State and Permanent Comm’n on the Status of Racial, Indigenous and Tribal Populations, and stakeholder consultation
LD 2214, Part WW – An Act to Make Supplemental Appropriations and Allocations [in the State Budget] for the Fiscal Years Ending June 30, 2024 and June 30, 2025 – (to support adequate funding for Maine Commission on Indigent Legal Services)

GLAD supports the passage of all of these bills, and we are proud to collaborate with so many partners in Maine, including Planned Parenthood of Northern New England on LD 227. We need action on LD 227 NOW to keep it moving forward despite the use of intimidation to defeat it, and we need to add our voices to support for other bills that are vital to keeping Maine a welcoming and safe place for all. Your calls and emails to legislators matter enormously.

Please email the members of the Committee on Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services (HCIFS) as well as House and Senate leadership to thank them for their work and to ask them to advance LD 227 and these other important bills in this session.

Thank you for taking action and thank you for all you do to ensure LGBTQ+ people, and all people, can be healthy, happy, and safe.

Blogue

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By Polly Crozier, Director of Family Advocacy

The ideological effort to roll back the clock on autonomy and equal rights for LGBTQ+ people and all women hit another milestone recently when the Alabama Supreme Court issued an alarming decision saying that frozen embryos are children, shutting down access to IVF in the state and sending shockwaves across the country. The resulting legislative “fix” in Alabama was no fix and further undermined hopeful parents and their efforts to build their families.

It was a staggeringly clear example of increasing efforts to control our lives and our most personal decisions: to cut off access to fertility healthcare, ban contraception, outlaw abortion in any form without exception, end access to critical healthcare for transgender people, preclude the formation of LGBTQ+ families, and even ban no-fault divorce and take the freedom to marry away from same-sex couples.

But as the outcry against that Alabama ruling shows, people across the country are saying no to that agenda of fear and control.

At GLAD, we are fighting alongside our partners and allies every day to protect our hard-won rights and push back against these attacks, so we can all live how we deserve to – freely, authentically, and joyfully.

In the past week alone, GLAD has:

Advocated in state houses for crucial shield bills to protect access to reproductive and transgender healthcare em Maine e Rhode Island, while we continue our federal legal challenges to bans on essential healthcare for transgender people in Alabama and Florida. These important bills would build on GLAD’s work to pass shield laws in Massachusetts (2022) and Vermont (2023).
Championed equitable coverage for fertility healthcare before multiple Connecticut legislative committees, so that Connecticut law reflects the standard of care ensuring LGBTQ+ people and single people on private insurance and Medicaid have access to the healthcare they need to build their families. GLAD was invited to appear with U.S. Senator Blumenthal to advocate not only for the Connecticut legislation but also for the federal Access to Family Building Act that seeks a national right to fertility healthcare.
Continued our work to update parentage laws in all states so that children of LGBTQ+ parents and children born through assisted reproduction are secure. We appeared in support of the Michigan Family Protection Act, which would repeal Michigan’s criminal ban on surrogacy and ensure protections for children born through assisted reproduction and surrogacy, in the state senate, and hope to see that bill, and a similar bill in Massachusetts, signed into law this session. As we see legislative and court actions put our families at risk, we must pass robust parentage bills like these to protect children and parents.
As the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit heard arguments Monday in Braidwood v. Becerra, a case about whether health insurers will have to continue to cover highly effective preventatives like HIV PrEP without copays or deductibles, our friend-of-the-court brief warned that upholding the lower court’s ruling would result in tens of thousands of preventable new HIV cases. ALEGRE continues to advocate for legislation to remove barriers to PrEP and address the racial disparities in access, including making PrEP available through pharmacies and without insurance prior authorization requirements which create unnecessary delays.

The agenda of fear and control won’t win.

With your support today and in the days to come, together we can protect our access to essential healthcare, our right to build our families, and our freedom to make important, personal decisions about our own lives.

News you may have missed:

Boston Review: GLAD Senior Director of Transgender and Queer Rights Jennifer Levi and NCLR Legal Director Shannon Minter in conversation about the decades-long fight for transgender rights

MassLive: Highlighting LGBTQ+ leaders in Massachusetts, including GLAD Director of Family Advocacy Polly Crozier and GLAD Board Member and CEO of TransHealth Dallas Ducar

Protecting Access to Health Care in Maine

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Victory: The Maine House e Senate voted to advance the bill, and on April, 22, 2024 the bill was sancionada como lei! Maine residents, thank legislators for supporting this vital legislation.

Transgender and reproductive health care is safe, well-established, standard-of-care medicine. Yet, over 20 states across the country have passed hostile laws restricting access to this health care for political, not medical, reasons.

LD 227, “An Act Regarding Health Care in the State,” will protect access to health care that is legal in Maine and ensure Maine providers can continue to deliver high-quality health care to people who come to Maine who are unable to access this care in their state.

This bill is similar to shield bills that have passed in Massachusetts, Vermont, and other states.