Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Health Care Protection topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Governor Kotek signs three laws to protect reproductive and preventive health care
Summary
Governor Tina Kotek signed three bills to shore up access to reproductive and preventive health services in Oregon: a strengthened shield law (HB 4088), a reimbursement law to keep Planned Parenthood clinics open for Oregon Health Plan patients (HB 4127), and new authority for statewide vaccine standing orders (SB 1598).
Governor Tina Kotek on Wednesday signed three bills intended to protect and stabilize reproductive and preventive health care across Oregon, saying "In Oregon, we believe health care is a right." The measures include stronger protections for clinicians and patients, state funding to preserve Planned Parenthood services for Oregon Health Plan beneficiaries, and authority for public-health standing orders for immunizations.
Dr. Sarah Kennedy, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Columbia Willamette, introduced the event and said the package includes "the 1st bill in the entire country to actually solve the problem of President Trump's defunding of Planned Parenthood." Sponsors and advocates framed the laws as a state response to federal changes that have disrupted preventive services and reproductive care. The governor and sponsors emphasized that the bills aim to protect providers from out-of-state subpoenas and civil actions, ensure insurance coverage for recommended vaccines, and maintain clinic access for OHP patients.
