Excerpt:
A bill that would specifically make female genital mutilation a crime in Maine is heading to a likely vote in the Senate Friday, even as House leaders say they don't plan to hold a vote no matter what the Senate does.
Democrats say the procedure, which is condemned by the World Health Organization, is already a crime covered by Maine's assault statute, and is also a federal crime.
They also claim the bill overstates the problem and specifically targets Maine's immigrant population, but the bill's Republican sponsor, Rep. Heather Sirocki, says her bill would send a strong message against the practice to protect children.