General Assembly Raised Bill No. 295 seeks to strengthen legal protections for healthcare providers and patients engaged in legally protected health care activities, particularly in the areas of reproductive health care and gender-affirming services. The bill introduces new definitions for "reproductive health care services" and "gender-affirming health care services," and establishes the term "legally protected health care activity," which encompasses the provision and receipt of these services as permitted under state law. Key provisions include the ability for individuals to recover damages if they face legal judgments in other jurisdictions based on these activities, and the stipulation that state laws will govern related cases, regardless of conflicting laws from other states. The bill also limits the admissibility of evidence regarding a patient's involvement in these activities if they were not physically present in the state when receiving services.

Additionally, the bill modifies existing laws regarding patient confidentiality and the handling of subpoenas related to legally protected health care activities. It allows individuals to challenge subpoenas deemed unreasonable and mandates that covered entities notify the Attorney General if they receive a subpoena lacking necessary consent. The bill also prohibits public agencies from using state resources to assist in interstate investigations that could impose liability for these activities and establishes an address confidentiality program for individuals needing to protect their residential addresses due to safety concerns. Overall, Raised Bill No. 295 aims to enhance the confidentiality of patient information, protect healthcare providers from discrimination, and modernize prescription practices while ensuring compliance with legal standards.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 54-162, 54-240, 54-240a, 54-240b, 20-614, 20-617