(Framingham—July 17, 2025) – Yesterday, Representative Jack Patrick Lewis joined House colleagues in passing crucial legislation that preserves and protects access for individuals and practitioners engaging in personal health care activities in the Commonwealth. The bill, H.4271 An Act strengthening health care protections in the Commonwealth, strengthens the abilities of individuals who are making decisions about their own reproductive and gender affirming health care services.
“The daily attacks on our fundamental rights from the Trump administration are frightening, but they’ll never scare us into inaction,” noted Representative Jack Lewis (Framingham). “I’m proud to have joined my colleagues in redoubling our commitment to reproductive and gender-affirming health care. We safeguarded patient and provider data, blocked cooperation with anti-health care entities outside of Massachusetts, protected doctors from undue punishment, and much more. Thank you to Speaker Mariano, Chair Michlewitz, and Chair Day for helping keep Massachusetts a beacon of personal dignity.”
“As the Trump Administration and Republicans across the country continue to target individuals for exercising their right to make their own health care decisions in consultation with their doctor, this legislation is representative of the House’s commitment to preserving that fundamental right,” expressed House Speaker Ronald J. Mariano (Quincy). “The Shield Act builds on the Commonwealth’s proud history of preserving and expanding access to reproductive and gender-affirming care by establishing new safeguards around patient data, and by protecting health care professionals who provide that vital care. I want to thank Chair Michlewitz, Chair Day, and all my colleagues in the House for their commitment to protecting the rights of our residents.”
This legislation clarifies protections for both patients and healthcare providers in the face of a growing wave of attacks from other states on protected health care activities in Massachusetts. The bill clarifies data protections, codifies the provision of emergency services for individuals, and provides Massachusetts courts and agencies with the tools required to protect both patients and practitioners engaging in reproductive and gender affirming healthcare services. Several states have recently passed laws restricting reproductive health care and access to gender affirming health care in their own boundaries while, at the same time, attempting to prosecute individuals who seek those personal health care services in Massachusetts.
“Massachusetts has led the way time and again to reaffirm our commitment to keeping reproductive health care safe and available to all. With this care under attack from the Trump administration, further protecting people seeking reproductive or gender affirming care has never been more crucial,” noted Representative Aaron Michlewitz, Chair of the House Committee on Ways & Means (Boston). “I want to thank the Speaker for his commitment to this issue, as well as Chair Day, and all my House colleagues for their work and dedication to keeping Massachusetts a leader in reproductive and gender affirming care.”
Building on protections first enshrined into law in 2022, this legislation prohibits state agencies, employees and law enforcement from cooperating with other states or federal investigations into reproductive or gender affirming health care that is legally protected in Massachusetts. The bill similarly restricts businesses that manage electronic health records from sharing patient data connected to these services.
The bill makes clear that health care professionals are free to provide legal health care services in Massachusetts, and the Commonwealth will resist attempts by other states or the federal government to prosecute health care professionals for providing those services.
Additionally, the bill:
- Exempts the personally identifying information of patients and providers regarding reproductive and gender affirming health care from the public records law.
- Requires hospitals to provide stabilizing health care services to patients presenting with emergency medical conditions.
- Empowers the Department of Public Health to remove drugs prescribed in connection with reproductive or gender affirming health care from the prescription monitoring program (PMP) and prohibits the Department from sharing PMP information sought by other states in connection with legally protected health care activities in the Commonwealth.
- Prohibits the state’s Center for Health Information and Analysis and the Health Connector from providing information to other entities, states, or the federal government regarding legally protected health care activities in Massachusetts, and forbids entities working with these agencies from using data collected to target patients or providers.
- Protects attorneys licensed in Massachusetts from removal or discipline for advising or representing clients on the topics of reproductive or transgender health care services.
- Forbids insurance companies from discriminating against or penalizing nonprofits who offer reproductive and gender affirming health care services.
- Prohibits courts from using the laws of other states prohibiting gender affirming care as grounds to alter custody or visitation rights for children in Massachusetts.
- Clarifies that Boards of Registration may not take disciplinary actions against practitioners for providing legally protected health care services, and prohibits boards from noting in a provider’s records any criminal, legal or disciplinary actions brought against them in other jurisdictions for providing health care services that are legally protected in the Commonwealth.
Having passed the House 136-23, the bill now goes back to the State Senate for further consideration.
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