Although legislators in Massachusetts said “they do not believe they can protect individuals from prosecution for violating the law of another state,” reports the Boston Globe, Bay State lawmakers anticipate quickly moving legislation through the State House to protect medical providers who serve patients from other states seeking abortions or transgender medical care. The legislation would also protect the out-of-state patients to the degree possible.
Reports the Globe:
House Speaker Ronald Mariano said Tuesday said his chamber is expecting to pass a wide-ranging reproductive rights bill that codifies part of an executive order Governor Charlie Baker signed on Friday and goes further to shield patients and providers from out-of-state legal action. …
That would mean not filing summons or cooperating with investigations for providers or patients, and not extraditing providers accused of violating laws in other states by treating patients in Massachusetts.
The bill, which the House is expected to approve on Wednesday, would also call for health insurers to provide abortion coverage without copayments or any form of cost-sharing. It would make emergency contraception more readily accessible by giving licensed pharmacists a standing order to dispense it on request. And it would create provisions that shield physicians, physician assistants, nurses, psychologists, and social workers from repercussions for providing legal abortion or transgender care.
“With the Supreme Court’s recent ruling and other civil rights at stake, it is more important than ever that our state leaders ensure meaningful access to abortion, contraception, and gender-affirming care for anyone who needs it,” Carol Rose, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts, told the Globe.
Read the complete Boston Globe article here.
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