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Committee advances substitute for bill to strengthen privacy protections at reproductive and gender‑affirming care sites
Summary
The House Health and Human Services committee voted 6‑2 to advance a committee substitute to HB 279 that tightens protections for sensitive reproductive and gender‑affirming health information, limits geofencing near clinics, clarifies EMTALA‑related duties and permits certain dispensing‑label protections for medication. Supporters said it protects patients and providers; some members voiced concerns about research access and overbroad protections.
The House Health and Human Services committee on an unspecified date voted 6‑2 to advance a committee substitute to House Bill 279 that sponsors and backers said would bolster privacy and safety for people seeking reproductive and gender‑affirming health care.
Supporters described the substitute as a narrowed version of an earlier draft and said it focuses on preventing out‑of‑state actors from obtaining sensitive health information. An advocate for obstetricians and gynecologists told the committee the measure "helps ensure OB‑GYNs can do that safely, ethically, and without fear that patients' private medical information could be weaponized by out‑of‑state investigators." (Deborah Condit, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists)
The substitute, as explained to the committee, would: add protections to…
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