Democrats in Maine are pushing a invoice that will require all public colleges to offer tampons in boys’ bogs beginning in center college, a transfer that comes as state leaders proceed to face backlash over their stance on transgender athletes competing in ladies’s sports activities.
LD 155, launched by state Rep. Kristen Cloutier, D-Lewiston, seeks to “require” all public colleges within the state that serve grades 6–12 to make tampons and sanitary pads accessible in all scholar bogs, together with these designated particularly for males.
The invoice is being pushed throughout an ongoing debate over whether or not transgender athletes ought to be allowed to compete on feminine sports activities groups, notably in highschool.
Maine’s LD 155 would “require” all colleges that serve college students in grades 6–12 to make tampons and sanitary pads accessible in all bogs, together with these catering solely to boys. (Fox Information Digital)
“That is actually fairly clearly a sample that reveals the place the legislative Democrats’ priorities are,” mentioned state Rep. Rachel Henderson, R-Rumford. Henderson likened the transfer to an ongoing price range battle within the legislature, which noticed Democrats usurp Republican authority so as to get their priorities throughout by passing a invoice and not using a two-thirds majority. The transfer has delayed crucial funds wanted for the states’ Medicaid program, in keeping with Henderson.
“It just kind of shows how out of touch the legislative Democrats here in Maine are when their priorities are paying for tampons in boys’ bathrooms rather than ensuring that we have any type of balanced budget,” she mentioned.
In the meantime, Assistant Home Minority Chief Katrina Smith, R–Palermo, mentioned Democrats within the state legislature suppose “they can push through anything they want,” even on the expense of taxpayers, as a result of they’ve management over each chambers and the governor’s workplace.
“Maine is ground zero for these types of policies,” Smith instructed Fox Information Digital. “They think that, because they have the majority in every body, that they can push through anything they want and anything they want usually costs taxpayers money as well, which this would.”
Assistant Home Minority Chief Katrina Smith, left, and Rep. Rachel Henderson (Maine Home of Representatives)
Earlier this yr, Democrats within the state legislature voted to censure GOP state Rep. Laurel Libby, who has been an outspoken advocate towards state leaders selecting to defy President Donald Trump’s govt order prohibiting transgender athletes from competing in ladies’s athletics. The censure vote adopted Libby’s opposition to state leaders’ choice that Maine’s Human Rights Regulation – which mandates athletic eligibility be based mostly on gender id – takes priority over the president’s govt order banning that observe.
Maine’s Democratic Gov. Janet Mills has supported the transfer to defy Trump’s govt order on trans sports activities participation as nicely, telling the president on the White Home final month, “We’ll see you in court,” in reference to the matter.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Fox Information Digital reached out to Cloutier for touch upon her invoice that will require colleges to offer tampons in boys’ bogs, however didn’t obtain a response in time for publication.
