An Act strengthening health care protections in the Commonwealth
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Progress
Where this bill stands in the legislative process.
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Became Law
Overview
This bill, titled "An Act strengthening health care protections in the Commonwealth," aims to safeguard reproductive and gender-affirming health care services within Massachusetts. It seeks to prevent the sharing of patient information with federal law enforcement agencies and prohibits discrimination against healthcare providers offering these services. The bill also addresses electronic health records and data privacy, particularly concerning sensitive health information.
Key provisions
- It requires the Commonwealth to prevent the sharing of patient information related to reproductive and gender-affirming health care services with federal law enforcement agencies, except under federal law.
- It prohibits discrimination against healthcare providers offering these services based on the type of care provided.
- The bill modifies sections of the state’s health information privacy law to enhance protections for reproductive and gender-affirming health care data.
- It establishes definitions for ‘electronic communication’ and ‘electronic communication services’ for legal purposes.
- It addresses the use of electronic communication services to ensure patient privacy in the context of controlled substances.
- It clarifies the circumstances under which a business entity can access identifiable health information.
- It prohibits the use of patient data for criminal investigations or liability assessments related to these health care services.
Bill text
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Sponsors
Official sponsors from legislative records.
13 on record
Primary sponsor
Senate Committee on Ways and Means
Cosponsors
Andrea Joy Campbell
Carmine Lawrence Gentile
David M. Rogers
Arguments
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