Maine
Gender-affirming care providers lose proposed protections as Maine lawmakers vote down bill – Maine Beacon
The Maine Legislature’s Judiciary Committee on Thursday voted down a bill that would have compelled Maine not to cooperate with law enforcement from states that have banned gender-affirming care who are investigating people who have sought such treatment here.
LD 1735, a bill sponsored by Democratic Rep. Laurie Osher of Orono, was a top priority for transgender rights advocates this session and it was backed by several groups, including the Maine Nurse Practitioner Association, the Maine Psychological Association, and the National Association of Social Workers.
Republican lawmakers fiercely opposed the bill. They held a press conference on Thursday before the committee vote.
Speaking last May when she introduced the legislation, Osher said that “at its heart, LD 1735 is about protecting the wellbeing and medical privacy of young people and their families.” Osher, the leader of the Legislature’s LGBTQ Equality Caucus, also said at last May’s public hearing that right now, “While other states are actively criminalizing safe, medically necessary healthcare, the stakes are higher than ever.”
For LGBTQ rights groups, Osher’s bill would have expanded on progress made last year in the Maine Legislature to secure rights for trans youth. Lawmakers passed a law allowing access to gender-affirming care without parental consent or notification for 16- and 17-year-olds. This is similar to Maine laws regarding abortion access or contraception for minors.
With Osher’s bill, Maine would have joined 12 other states that have enacted legal protections for gender-affirming care providers.
“We’ve received an alarming number of requests from families from states like Florida, Georgla, Idaho, and Kentucky looking for somewhere safe to bring their children. These families are terrified about being split up,” Quinn Gormley, executive director of MaineTransNet, said in a public hearing last year.
Gormley added, “This bill is an opportunity for Maine to lead again. It’s our chance to send a clear message that hate isn’t welcome here.”
The Judiciary Committee, chaired by Sen. Anne Carney and Rep. Matt Moonen, both Democrats, unanimously voted across party lines to reject the legislation. Democrats, who had initially backed the bill, stated on Thursday that it included unnecessary language for the purpose of safeguarding transgender healthcare in Maine, leading to their decision to oppose it.
WISCASSET, Maine (WMTW) – A Maine man has been arrested after police say he intentionally set a bed on fire after a dispute with his girlfriend, while they were still in it.
Police responded Monday, March 9, to a report of a fire that had been intentionally set inside a home on Beechnut Hill Road, according to the Wiscasset Police Department.
Investigators say the homeowner, Terry Couture, 41, set the bed on fire following an argument while both he and his girlfriend were in it. Authorities said the fire was extinguished and no serious injuries were reported.
Couture was arrested and charged with attempted murder, arson, aggravated criminal mischief, and domestic violence criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon.
The investigation is ongoing.
Copyright 2026 WABI. All rights reserved.
CLIFTON, Maine (WABI) – Maine Maple Sunday is less than two weeks away, and the Williams Family Farm in Clifton is gearing up for one of the sweetest seasons yet.
A long stretch of frost and snow meant a late start this year, but the first boil of sap has finally run through the evaporator, and maple season is officially underway.
At Williams Family Farm, everything is done by hand:
- Fresh maple syrup, bottled on-site
- Maple sugar, carefully extracted in small batches
- Baked candied pecans, cashews, and more
The Williams family has spent years working with whatever weather sends their way.
Long winters, surprise warmups, and everything in between—they’ve learned how to adapt so community members can enjoy their products.
As co-owner John Williams explains, the key is in the temperature.
“You need to have it warm during the day and still freezing at night, so typically that’s the middle of February,” said Williams. “We have a lot of trees, so we have to start tapping them before the conditions are ideal, so we start tapping way before it’s time for it to run just so we can get them all tapped. If you have ten trees in your backyard, you want to wait until roughly now, the middle of February to now, and when it’s actually running and put them in then because you can put all your taps in, in one day.”
They’re excited to welcome the community during Maine Maple Weekend on March 21 and 22.
They will be boiling up sap, hosting demonstrations, and providing free samples.
Locals can also join them for their third annual pancake breakfast where all proceeds are donated to Holbrook Recreation.
Follow the link to find out their hours for March and more.
Copyright 2026 WABI. All rights reserved.
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