The "Healthcare Provider Shield Act" is a bill designed to protect the legal right to access gender-affirming and reproductive health care services in the state, as defined by § 23-100-2. It prohibits interference with legally protected health care activities and considers any public act from another state that criminalizes or sanctions such activities as interference with the rights secured by the state. The bill adds a new chapter to Title 23 of the General Laws, providing definitions for terms related to health care activities and outlining who qualifies as a health care provider. It specifies what constitutes aiding and assisting legally protected health care activity, including insurance coverage for gender-affirming or reproductive health care services, and clarifies that such assistance does not include conduct that violates Rhode Island law or the applicable standard of care.

The bill also introduces legal recourse for individuals facing hostile litigation due to their involvement in legally protected health care activities, allowing for civil action within three years after the cause of action accrues. It restricts courts from ordering individuals within the state to provide testimony or documents in proceedings outside the state concerning hostile litigation. Furthermore, the bill prohibits public agencies and law enforcement officers from using resources or providing assistance in interstate investigations or proceedings that seek to impose liability for legally protected healthcare activities, with certain exceptions. It also amends Chapter 12-9 of the General Laws to limit the governor's ability to comply with extradition requests for persons charged with criminal violations involving legally protected health care activity. The bill introduces protections for healthcare providers against professional disciplinary action, insurance discrimination, and adverse employment actions based solely on their involvement in legally protected healthcare activities. It amends sections of the General Laws related to physician profiles and malpractice reporting, ensuring confidentiality of personal information and providing context for malpractice payment data. The act would take effect upon passage and includes several insertions to the existing law, such as mandating the exclusion of personal contact information from physician profiles and establishing a dispute resolution process for inaccuracies in these profiles.

Statutes affected:
7577  SUB A: 23-17-53, 5-37-9.2
7577: 5-37-9.2