Lawmakers in the state of Maine approved a part of legislation that would give 16-and-17-year-olds the ability to undergo hormone therapy for gender transitions without parental consent.
The bill passed through the state House Judiciary Committee with a 7-1 vote and is sponsored by Democratic Representative Erin Sheehan.
“The goal of this proposal is to protect the lives of young trans people who will certainly be harmed in a delay of gender-affirming care,” Sheehan said.
From The Daily Wire:
The lone Republican who was present, Sen. Eric Brakey, R-Auburn, voted in support of the legislation. The other Republican on the 13-member committee left before the vote. Meanwhile, the one dissenting vote came from Rep. Stephen Moriarty D-Cumberland. Although Rep. Moriarty isn’t opposed to the medical transition of minors, he believes that parents should be made aware. A number of pro-trans organizations, including OUT Maine, Equality Maine, MaineTransNet, and others, testified in support of the legislation. Meanwhile, others testified in opposition to the legislation, asserting that lawmakers were waging a “war on children” and stripping parents of their rights.