2021 First Session Bills

Sponsor: Rep. Kathy Javner
House
District #88

Update
This legislation was defeated in the Maine House and Maine State Senate. It has been filed as “Dead.” We will post at www.cclmaine.org, in the near future, as to how each legislator voted.

Summary
This bill repeals Title 22, section 3196, removing the requirement that the department fund abortion services for MaineCare members and removing the requirement that the State pay when the abortion services are not covered by Medicaid.
Our Concerns
This is an uphill battle given the numbers in the House and Senate. This issue is too big to not try.
Thank you Rep. Javner for leading!

Sponsor: Rep. Patrick Corey
House District # 25

Update
Passed by House and State Senate, placed on Special Appropriations Table. This means it will contend with other bills

for that funding.

Summary
This bill amends the safe haven laws regarding abandoned children by including a safe haven baby box to the list of safe havens that a person may deliver a newborn child to under the Child and Family Services and Child Protection Act and to serve as an affirmative defense to the criminal offense of abandonment of a child. A safe haven baby box is a device or container that can safely accept delivery of a newborn child; such box or device being located in a hospital, law enforcement facility or fire department facility that is staffed 24 hours a day by a medical services provider. 

Our Concerns
Great idea, we fully support!

Sponsor: Sen. Scott Cyrway
Senate District
#16

Update
This legislation was defeated in the Maine House and Maine State Senate. It has been filed as “Dead.” We will post at www.cclmaine.org, in the near future, as to how each legislator voted.

Summary
This bill requires the final disposition of fetal remains resulting from abortion, miscarriage, or fetal death, regardless of gestational age, through cremation or interment.

Our Concerns
We will support this legislation. Can we get enough support from the Maine Legislature?

Anchor-1

Sponsor: Rep. Heidi Sampson
House District
#21

Update
House voted Ought Not To Pass (81-62-8 absent), Senate voted Ought Not To Pass (21-13-1 absent), Bill dies.

Summary
This bill increases the total enrollment at virtual public charter schools authorized by
the Maine Charter School Commission from 1,000 at all virtual public charter schools to
1,500 at a virtual public charter school also; It exempts children who are enrolled in or attend a virtual public charter school from immunization requirements.

Our Concerns
This appears to allow more choice for Maine students, protection for some from the immunization laws that are anti-choice and anti religious freedom

Sponsor: Rep. Margaret Craven House District #59

Update
Passed by House and State Senate, placed on Special Appropriations Table. This means it will contend with other bills
for that funding.

Summary

Palliative care is important because it gives patients an option for pain and symptom management and higher quality of life while still pursuing curative measures.

Our Concerns

Another idea that makes total sense but could be hindered by others who would not like to see the balance of options. Who does not support the concept of “Life?”

Sponsor: Rep.MaryAnne Kinney
House District #99

Update
This bill was listed as filed “Dead.”

Summary
This resolve directs the Department of Health and Human Services to require that an
adoptive family receive the same level of financial assistance for long-term or limited period adoption assistance as the family received when the child was in treatment-level
foster care.

Our Concerns
Logic and common sense are not considered enough in this day and age.

Anchor-2

Sponsor: Sen. Lisa Keim
Senate District
#18

Update
This legislation was defeated in the Maine House and Maine State Senate. It has been filed as “Dead.” We will post at www.cclmaine.org, in the near future, as to how each legislator voted.

Summary
We believe the titles concerning affirming gender rights will be much of our work in 2021. It is unthinkable we will be debating allowing biological males into a female shelter.

Our Concerns
This is an very important piece of legislation, as it allows a women’s shelter to serve women. It does not mandate they do so.

Sponsor: Rep. Abigail Griffin
House District #102

Update
This legislation was defeated in the Maine House and Maine State Senate. It has been filed as “Dead.” We will post at www.cclmaine.org, in the near future, as to how each legislator voted.

Summary

This bill amends the abortion informed consent laws to require the health care professional to tell the pregnant woman that it may be possible to reverse the effects of an
abortion-inducing drug with medication and treatment. The health care professional is required to make a record indicating the information was provided, and the woman is required to sign the record to show that she received the information.

Our Concerns

We believe education and options are good, who would disagree?

Sponsor: Rep. Billy Bob Faulkingham
House District #136

Update
House voted Ought Not To Pass (81-62-8 absent), Senate voted Ought Not To Pass (21-13-1 absent), Bill dies.

Summary
The Vaccination Bill, LD 798 removed religious and personal freedoms to choose or refuse vaccinations. This bill extends the existing exemption to any student who elects a philosophical or religious exemption from immunization on or before September 1, 2021.

Our Concerns

We don’t like LD 798, this attempts to create some fairness and consistency to bad legislation.

Anchor-3

Sponsor: Rep. MaryAnne Kinney
House District
#99

Update
This bill received no support within the committee and so was filed as “Dead.” It did not receive a House or Senate date given no committee support.

Summary
Title IX was created to protect women and gender proponents are working to skew definitions.

Our Concerns
The war on women.

Sponsor: Sen. Trey Stewart
Senate District #2

Update:
This legislation was defeated in the Maine House and Maine State Senate. It has been filed as “Dead.” We will post at www.cclmaine.org, in the near future, as to how each legislator voted.

Summary
This bill amends the abortion informed consent laws to require the health care professional to tell the pregnant woman that it may be possible to reverse the effects of an abortion-inducing drug, although time is of the essence. The health care professional must make available written materials, prepared by the Department of Health and Human Services, about the possibility of reversing the effects of the drug and how to obtain additional information and medical assistance.

Our Concerns
We support this legislation; opponents do not like alternatives to abortion.

Anchor-4

Sponsor: Rep. Ryan Fecteau
House District #11

Update

LD 1538 was reported out as “Ought Not To Pass” although we do not believe they ever held a public hearing on this one. Guessing the sponsor “killed his own bill”?

Summary
This bill is a concept draft pursuant to Joint Rule 208.
This bill would protect the rights of people who are LGBTQ in this State, including,
but not limited to, people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning,
intersex, and asexual.

Our Concerns
Concept drafts do not tell us what the bill is really about. We wont know until the public hearing. No transparency means we will not be able to prepare as we would like.

Sponsor: Rep. MaryAnne Kinney
House District #99

Update
House voted Ought Not To Pass (81-62-8 absent), Senate voted Ought Not To Pass (21-13-1 absent), Bill dies.

Description
Public Law 2019, chapter 154 removes the exemption from immunization requirements based on religious belief for students in elementary, secondary and postsecondary schools and employees of nursery schools and certain health care facilities. This bill reinstates the religious exemption.

Update
LD 833 now moves to the work session process

Public Hearing:  May 12, 2021

Hearing Time:  10 am

 

Summary
Public Law 2019, chapter 154 (The Law made from LD 798 from 2 years ago) removes the exemption from immunization requirements based on religious belief for students in elementary, secondary and postsecondary schools and employees of nursery schools and certain health care facilities. This bill reinstates the religious exemption.

Our Concerns
We support this legislation.

Sponsor: Rep. Gary Drinkwater
House District
#121

Update
House voted Ought Not To Pass (81-62-8 absent), Senate voted Ought Not To Pass (21-13-1 absent), Bill dies.

 Summary

This bill exempts children who are enrolled in or attend a virtual public charter school or a private school from the requirement that a child must have evidence of immunization to be enrolled in or attend school.

It also reminds public schools to make provisions for ALL students as Maine law states.

Our Concerns

Why would “Virtual Students” need to miss school because of their religious or personal beliefs?

Anchor-5

Sponsor:  Sen. Lisa Keim
Senate District #18

Update
This bill was voted down in both House and Senate, it is filed as “Dead.”

Summary
This bill amends the laws governing the confidentiality of health care information to provide that if a health care facility or health care practitioner maintains a minor’s records electronically, then the records must be provided electronically to any person who is authorized to access the minor’s health care records.

Our Concerns
Another bill that makes us wonder why parents need a law to cement their rights as a parent?

Sponsor:  Rep. Abigail Griffin
House District #102

Update
This legislation was defeated in the Maine House and Maine State Senate. It has been filed as “Dead.” We will post at www.cclmaine.org, in the near future, as to how each legislator voted.

Summary
This bill requires a health care professional to ensure that a pregnant woman undergoes an ultrasound and receives information about alternatives to abortion, including parenting the child, at least 48 hours before she can have an abortion. The existence of a medical
emergency eliminates the 48-hour waiting period.

Our Concerns
The religion of abortion does not allow for cleanliness, safety, and best practices.

Sponsor:  Sen. Lisa Keim
House District #18

Work Session: May 27, 2021

Work Session Time: 9:00 am

Update
This legislation was defeated in both House and State Senate. It is filed as “Dead.”

Summary
This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to obtain permission from a parent or guardian before placing an infected minor in isolation during a public health emergency. It also prohibits physical examinations, surgical procedures, vaccine administrations, and drug prescriptions for a minor without parent or guardian permission, as well as a physician’s orders not to resuscitate, to withhold an artificial life-sustaining
procedure or to withhold artificial nutrition and hydration. An exception is provided for life-threatening situations or when the parent or guardian cannot be readily located or contacted.

Our Concerns
The thought that parental rights would not be at the forefront of any of lawmaker’s or government agency’s actions is antithetical to common sense.

Anchor-6

SponsorSen. Bill Diamond
Senate District #26

Work Session: May 27, 2021

Work Session Time: 9 am

Update:
Passed by both House and State Senate with no debate.

Summary
This bill elevates from Class B to Class A the crime of aggravated sex trafficking if the person being trafficked is 14 years of age or younger

Our Concerns
We support this bill. Should trafficking issues be higher on the list of our concerns?

Sponsor:  Rep. John Andrews
House District #73

Work Session: May 27, 2021

Work Session Time: 9 am

Update:
Passed by both House and State Senate with no debate.

Summary
The purpose of this bill is to strengthen the criminal justice system’s and human
services response to child sex trafficking. (It does so in many ways).

Our Concerns
We support the bill.
Is trafficking an area we should be watching more closely?

Anchor-7

Sponsor: Rep. Billy Bob Faulkingham
House District #136

Update
This legislation was defeated in the Maine House and Maine State Senate. It has been filed as “Dead.” We will post at www.cclmaine.org, in the near future, as to how each legislator voted.

Summary
The Hyde Amendment prohibits federal Medicaid funding for abortions except in cases of life endangerment, rape, or incest.
This bill repeals Title 22, section 3196, removing the requirement that the department provide abortion services to MaineCare members and
removing the requirement that the State pay when the abortion services are not covered by Medicaid.

Our Concerns
Another bill that a majority of Maine people would agree with but will the Maine Legislature?

Sponsor: Rep. Lois Reckitt
House District #31

Update
This bill passed both House and State Senate with no debate.

Summary

Our Concerns
Bill mandates what a private board can do. The committee report was a divided vote.

Sponsor: Rep Beth O’Connor
House District #5

Update
Bill received an Ought Not To Pass vote. Party line vote. Bill moves into the Maine House and Maine State Senate process.

Summary
This would seem to solidify that biology and science dictate the rules of who competes in competitive races.

Our Concerns
Politics of Woke vs. logic.