An Act To Ensure Access to Sexual and Reproductive Health Care and Education in All Maine's Jails and State Correctional and Detention Facilities

Sec. 1. 30-A MRSA §1566  is enacted to read:

§ 1566.  Sexual and reproductive health care and education

Any person who is detained or incarcerated in a jail or other county correctional facility who is a female or who has a uterus has a right to comprehensive access to reproductive health care and education upon admission and throughout the detention or incarceration, including, but not limited to, the following:

Sec. 2. 34-A MRSA §3031, sub-§8,  as amended by PL 2019, c. 139, §2, is further amended to read:

Sec. 3. 34-A MRSA §3031, sub-§9,  as enacted by PL 2019, c. 139, §3, is amended to read:

Sec. 4. 34-A MRSA §3031, sub-§10  is enacted to read:

Sec. 5. Sexual and Reproductive Health Care Advisory Committee. There is established the Sexual and Reproductive Health Care Advisory Committee to review and develop adequate standards, policies and materials for the provision of sexual and reproductive health care and education for persons who are incarcerated as required by the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 30-A, section 1566 and Title 34-A, section 3031, subsection 10. The advisory committee consists of a representative of the Department of Corrections designated by the Commissioner of Corrections; a sexual and reproductive health care provider and a representative of a statewide association of sheriffs appointed by the President of the Senate; a representative of an organization with the primary mission to advance racial justice appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; and a medical provider who treats pregnant people who are incarcerated appointed by the Governor. The Department of Corrections shall provide staffing services to the advisory committee. The advisory committee shall submit a report to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over criminal justice matters by January 1, 2021.

summary

This bill requires the provision of comprehensive access to sexual and reproductive health care and education for a person who is a female or who has a uterus admitted to or detained or incarcerated in a jail or county correctional facility or a state detention or correctional facility. The bill establishes the Sexual and Reproductive Health Care Advisory Committee to review and develop adequate standards, policies and materials for the provision of sexual and reproductive health care and education for persons who are incarcerated and requires a report to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over criminal justice matters by January 1, 2021.