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Maine’s transgender health care bill sparks right-wing meltdown over phantom kidnappings

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Maine’s transgender health care bill sparks right-wing meltdown over phantom kidnappings


A Maine bill aimed to protect transgender youth’s access to care triggers outlandish claims of child-snatching as right-wingers wage a war of words on the proposed legislation.

A proposed bill introduced by Democrats, LD 1735, intended to protect gender-affirming health care for transgender minors, has sparked a firestorm of controversy and misinformation among conservative figures and groups. The bill provides protections for trans youth and their parents for seeking gender-affirming care as well as having the state take emergency custody of abused trans kids if the child is within its borders.

Chaya Raichik, who operates the Libs of TikTok social media account known for its anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric, posted a misleading interpretation of the legislation, prompting an outcry from right-wing personalities.

Raichik’s post incorrectly claimed that the new bill would allow the state to take custody of children if their parents oppose gender transition procedures, including surgery and hormone therapy.

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“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,” she wrote, urging people to email legislators whose email addresses she posted.

Far-right extremists and notable Republican influencers became enraged online, including figures such as former Fox News and NBC journalist turned right-wing influencer Megyn Kelly retweeting Raichik’s post and adding, “This is SICK! Bombard them with emails. This cannot pass.”

Donald Trump Jr. also weighed in, amplifying Raichik’s message to his audience.

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“They want full control of your kids. They want parents to have no say so they can do whatever they want. These people are evil and insane. Stop this madness,” the twice impeached and multiply-indicted former president’s eldest son wrote.

However, the actual text of LD 1735 does not stipulate state custody in cases of parental opposition to gender-affirming procedures. Instead, the bill aims to block the enforcement of subpoenas and arrests related to gender-affirming health care if such actions are based on the laws of another state that conflict with Maine’s protections.

Amid the escalating furor and severe weather in Maine contributing to scheduling challenges, the Maine House’s judiciary committee postponed its Wednesday work session on LD 1735 to January 25. The postponement coincides with increased public pressure and the campaign of criticism directed at the committee members.

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Republican state Rep. David Haggan, who described the bill in alarming terms, was quoted as saying, “This bill authorizes the kidnapping and massacring of children from other states without parental consent,” as reported by The Daily Mail.

As journalist Erin Reed points out, “The Maine bill aims to ensure that transgender individuals and their families, who seek safety and medical care in the state, are not compelled to return to their home states by extremist attorneys general, possibly under the threat of arrest. It would also make arresting the parents of trans youth pursuant to out of state warrants the ‘lowest law enforcement priority.’”

It would allow Maine jurisdiction in custody battles if one parent lives in a state with banned or restricted gender-affirming care and the other lives in Maine.





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Maine

Maine AG asks judge to dismiss EV lawsuit that claims state is failing to reach climate goals

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Maine AG asks judge to dismiss EV lawsuit that claims state is failing to reach climate goals


Maine officials on Friday asked a state judge to dismiss a lawsuit by environmentalists accusing the state of failing to meet targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by not adopting a policy to boost the sales of electric vehicles.

The Department of Environmental Protection is not required by law to adopt a policy expanding electric vehicle use and its “alleged failure or refusal” to adopt the policy is discretionary and not subject to judicial review, the state said in its response to an April 22 lawsuit by the Conservation Law Foundation, Sierra Club and Maine Youth Action.

The lawsuit, filed in Cumberland County Superior Court, also said that the environmental groups’ accusation that the DEP has failed to adopt rules required by Maine’s statute regarding greenhouse gas emission reduction should be dismissed because the groups do not have legal standing to make such a request.

In addition, the state said the DEP has not failed to comply with climate change legislation and that the lawsuit asks the court to to breach Maine’s constitutional separation of powers.

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Emily K. Green, senior attorney for the Conservation Law Foundation in Maine, said the state “would be better served by spending its time and resources to implement our climate law, rather than attempting to dismiss our lawsuit before we get a day in court.”

Environmentalists said in their lawsuit that the DEP and Board of Environmental Protection, which provides oversight of the DEP, are responsible for implementing Maine’s Climate Law that requires greenhouse gas emissions to be cut at least 45% from 1990 levels by 2030 and 80% by 2050.

The environmentalists have asked the court to order the board to adopt rules that comply with the state’s climate law, with a priority for transportation on or before Nov. 1. They asked the court to order the agency to adopt EV rules or an alternative rule by the same date. That date is one month before the Dec. 1 deadline for the Maine Climate Council to update the state climate plan.

This story will be updated.

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WEX laying off potentially dozens of people in Maine

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WEX laying off potentially dozens of people in Maine


PORTLAND, Maine (WMTW) – WEX, a financial technology provider headquartered in Portland, is cutting about 375 jobs worldwide.

The company tells Maine’s Total Coverage that fewer than 45 of those job cuts will be in Maine.

WEX currently employs about 1,000 people in Maine.

“As the technology environment continues to change rapidly, it is imperative that WEX continues to evolve its business to support innovation and maintain its position as an industry leader. Accordingly, we have made changes across the company to advance our technology transformation, streamline the organizational structures, and ensure that our customers remain at the center of everything we do,” the company said in a statement to Maine’s Total Coverage.

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Most of the job cuts will affect the technology organization of the company.

The company says they will provide as much support as possible to affected workers.



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Maine State Chamber of Commerce hosts climate resiliency webinar partnering with Science is US

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Maine State Chamber of Commerce hosts climate resiliency webinar partnering with Science is US


Expect partly cloudy skies with highs reaching the upper 80s to mid 90s. The coolest temperature will be across far northern Maine and along the coast with the hottest being right along I95. Dewpoints will remain in the upper 60s and low to mid 70s, making it feel much hotter. Our heat index values will top out in the upper 90s to around 100. A cold front will churn up some showers and storms, some of which, may be strong to severe. Main hazards with these storms will be, heavy rain, strong winds and hail. Storms will gradually fizzle out after sunset, but some stray showers will be possible overnight.



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