A bill to criminalize female genital mutilation in Maine is expected to die this session, with the House refusing to take it up again.
Lawmakers are unable to agree which version of the bill to support, but both supporters and opponents agree this isn’t the last we’ll hear of the divisive issue.
LD 745 would criminalize female genital mutilation, or FGM, making it a Class B crime to perform the procedure on someone under 18, also allowing their parent or guardian to face charges.
Rep. Heather Sirocki, R-Scarborough, introduced the legislation.
“There are absolutely no medical benefits at all to this type of procedure and it is not similar to male circumcision,” Sirocki said.
She said Maine is a high risk state, with MaineCare billing last year showing eight instances of providers treating problems resulting from FGM.
“The specific law is wanted by the Maine Prosecutors Association because there was some ambiguity around this and there was a case that failed on appeal because it was not specific enough,” said Sirocki. “The prosecutors really feel they need that clarity to specifically prohibit this and that’s what they’re asking for.”
House Democrats amended the bill to just establish outreach and education on the issue, a move supported by the American Civil Liberties Union of Maine, which released a statement saying in part, “There are already severe penalties ... This bill is nothing more than an attempt to single out behavior that is commonly attributed to certain religious and ethnic communities as different from other forms of abuse.”
Senator Mark Dion, D-Portland, is against the practice, but also opposes the bill. He said FGM could already be prosecuted as an assault or sexual abuse.
“There are some of my colleagues who believe whenever we discover a new set of facts, it requires it’s own law. I think the beauty of the criminal code is it can be applied to changing fact circumstances,” said Dion.
Sirocki said she expects similar legislation to be presented again in two years.
You can read the bill’s full text HERE.