The bill titled "An Act strengthening health care protections in the Commonwealth" aims to enhance legal protections for reproductive and gender-affirming health care services in Massachusetts. It introduces new provisions that protect personal information for individuals involved in these services, prohibits state and local agencies from cooperating with federal law enforcement on investigations into legally-protected health care activities, and ensures that evidence of involvement in such activities cannot be used against individuals in legal proceedings. The Attorney General is empowered to enforce these provisions through civil actions. Additionally, the bill amends various sections of the General Laws to restrict access to identifiable health information and allows labels for controlled substances related to reproductive or gender-affirming health care to include the name of the health care practice instead of the prescribing practitioner.

Moreover, the bill mandates that businesses storing medical information related to reproductive health care and gender-affirming services develop policies to limit access to authorized individuals, prevent unauthorized disclosure outside the Commonwealth, and disable access to segregated medical information without patient consent. It also prohibits the collection and dissemination of identifiable data on abortions and gender-affirming health care services by the commissioner of public health. Legal protections are extended to individuals and organizations providing these services, preventing disciplinary actions against them based on their involvement, even if such services are considered unlawful in other jurisdictions. Overall, the legislation seeks to safeguard the rights of patients and providers while ensuring confidentiality and protection from legal repercussions related to reproductive and gender-affirming health care services.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 12C-12, 66-10B, 112-12Q, 147-63