Vermont committee hears split testimony on S.28 over telemedicine, advertising and fetal-death confidentiality

The House Health Care Committee on March 20 heard extended testimony on S.28, a bill titled an act relating to access to certain legally protected health care services, with witnesses sharply divided over telemedicine abortion, regulation of health-care advertising and changes to fetal-death records.

Mike Fisher, health care advocate for the Office of the Health Care Advocate, told the committee his office supports S.28 as passed by the Senate. "It strikes a good balance at protecting health care workers who are providing care, legally protected care, and, and protecting the public, from misleading or, you know, advertising intentionally designed to mislead the public," Fisher said, adding his office tracked the bill and provided support in the Senate but did not do the bulk of the drafting.

Why it matters: S.28 would affect how certain abortion care is delivered in Vermont, how speech about health services is regulated and who can access fetal-death information in civil or criminal cases.

Opponents centered much of their testimony on First Amendment and safety concerns. Sharon Toborg, policy analyst for the Vermont Right to Life Committee, said S.28 "kind of doubles down" on provisions that…