Maine lawmakers on Monday overturned 20
of Governor Paul LePage's vetoes, but left in place a veto of a bill
that sought to ban conversion therapy (also called “ex-gay” or
“reparative” therapy) to minors.
LePage, a Republican, on Friday vetoed
LD 912 – a bill that sought to ban therapies that attempt to alter
the sexual orientation or gender identity of lesbian, gay, bisexual
and transgender youth – making him the first U.S. governor to veto
such legislation.
LePage said that the legislation was
unnecessary and that he had “grave” concerns that the bill could
be interpreted “as a threat to an individual's religious liberty.”
The Maine legislature approved the bill
late last month. On Monday, the bill failed to reach the two-thirds
majority needed to override LePage's veto, the Portland
Pres Herald reported.
Similar legislation has been enacted in
New Hampshire, Hawaii, Maryland, Washington, Connecticut, California,
Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon, Illinois, Vermont, New York, Rhode
Island, New Mexico and the District of Columbia. Lawmakers in
Delaware
have approved a similar bill.
(Related: UK
government announces plan to ban “ex-gay” therapy.)