US EditionSenator Susan Collins Supports 2026 Referendum to Change Maine Transgender Student Policies
Senator Collins endorses a referendum requiring roughly 68,000 signatures to limit transgender students' participation in sports and use of private spaces, aligning with a contested Title IX view.
- On Nov. 23, U.S. Sen. Susan Collins signed a petition supporting a 2026 referendum to ban transgender students from sports and private spaces, her office confirmed she did so because she agrees with President Donald Trump's Title IX view.
- Organizers could start collecting signatures earlier this month and need roughly 68,000 registered-voter signatures by early February to qualify for the November 2026 ballot, after several bills failed earlier this year.
- The proposal would require Maine public schools to assign teams by sex at birth, restrict bathrooms and locker rooms, and allow students to file civil lawsuits over injuries or lost opportunities.
- The Trump administration is suing Maine and nearly two dozen states, threatening to pull federal funding; the case goes to trial this spring as the Maine Human Rights Commission sued five school districts last week.
- Public opinion is divided: a Pew survey found 49% support bathroom bans, and Collins's move is notable ahead of her 2026 re-election, citing three transgender students in Maine.
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11 Articles
The Maine Monitor
PenBay PilotThe debate over trans rights is heating up in Maine
Paul LePage “supports efforts to protect the integrity of girls’ sports teams and keep them safe from harm,” a strategist for his campaign said. Photo by Robert F. Bukaty of the Associated Press.This story was produced as part of a partnership with NOTUS and the nonprofit, nonpartisan Allbritton Journalism Institute. Republicans who campaigned on restricting transgender rights lost key races in 2025, but Maine U.S. House candidate Paul LePage is…
The Debate Over Trans Rights Is Heating Up in Maine for the 2026 Election Cycle
Paul LePage "supports efforts to protect the integrity of girls’ sports teams and keep them safe from harm," a strategist for his campaign said. (Robert F. Bukaty/AP)Republicans who campaigned on restricting transgender rights lost key races in 2025, but Maine U.S. House candidate Paul LePage is still planning on using the anti-trans playbook in his race next year.LePage, the state’s former governor and a Republican candidate for the seat curren…
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