The proposed bill amends Title 35 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes to create the Reproductive Health Services Address Confidentiality Program, designed to protect the addresses of individuals participating in reproductive health services who may be at risk of violence. It introduces a new chapter, CHAPTER 56A, which outlines the program's scope, definitions, eligibility criteria, application and certification processes, and participant rights, including the issuance of a substitute address. The bill establishes a certification process lasting three years and mandates that state and local government entities accept the substitute address as the official address for participants. It also includes a waiver process for government entities to access a participant's actual address under specific conditions, along with penalties for violations of confidentiality.

Additionally, the bill allows for emergency disclosures of a participant's actual address in situations that may pose a risk of physical harm, and it sets forth criteria for granting waivers, including the need for the address and the assurance of confidentiality. Entities receiving waivers must implement procedures to protect the address and dispose of it after the waiver expires. The bill also outlines the process for denying waiver requests and includes penalties for providing false information or unauthorized access. Civil immunity is granted to the department and its agents, except in cases of gross negligence or intentional misconduct, and it requires the department to establish guidelines and regulations for effective implementation of the program.

Statutes/Laws affected:
Printer's No. 997 (Jun 24, 2025):