Advocates, Providers Praise Senate Passage of Bill to Safeguard Rhode Island’s Health Care System, Access to Essential Care

Health Care Provider Shield Act limits risk of hostile out-of-state laws related to abortion, transgender health care

Update: Senator Gu has now added her vote in support of SB2262, bringing the final vote count to 30-7.

Advocates for health care access, reproductive health care, and LGBTQ+ equality praised the Rhode Island Senate for passing the “Health Care Provider Shield Act,” (SB2262/HB7577) by a vote of 29 to 7. The bill will protect the state’s health care system, doctors, other medical care providers, and patients from hostile out-of-state laws that could negatively impact delivery of care.

Parrainé par la sénatrice Dawn Euer et le représentant John G. Edwards, le Health Care Provider Shield Act garantira que les prestataires de soins de santé du Rhode Island ne seront pas pénalisés en vertu des lois d'autres États qui ont interdit l'accès aux soins de santé reproductive et transgenre établis et conformes aux normes de soins, et que les patients pourront continuer à recevoir des soins médicaux essentiels, légaux et de qualité dans le Rhode Island.

“We’re grateful for the Senate’s prompt action in favor of this bill, which enables family doctors, OBGYNs, and other practitioners in Rhode Island to continue delivering high quality, essential care to our patients—including full-spectrum reproductive services and gender-affirming health care. This bill will protect our providers against actions from other states and allow us to deliver the standard of care and excellence that our patients deserve,.” a déclaré le Dr Heather A Smith, présidente de la Société médicale du Rhode Island et gynécologue-obstétricienne« Nous avons besoin du Health Care Provider Shield Act pour garantir que Rhode Island reste un État où les cliniciens souhaitent exercer et pour que les médecins puissent continuer à fournir à nos patients des soins de qualité, compatissants et essentiels lorsqu'ils en ont besoin. »

As multiple states have passed bans on abortion and transgender health care in recent years, authorities in some states, such as Texas, have also sought to intimidate or otherwise punish physicians or facilities in other states who provide such essential care to their residents. At least a dozen other states and the District of Columbia have already passed health care shield laws to protect providers and patients and ensure their states remain desirable places to practice medicine. Four other New England states – Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, and Maine, where Governor Mills signed a bill into law last month – have similar shield laws to protect providers and access to care. 

“This is a big step toward securing critically needed safeguards for Rhode Island’s health care system. We are grateful to both Sen. Euer and Representative Edwards for their leadership on this bill and thank the Senators who voted to support it today,” a déclaré Polly Crozier, avocate chez GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders. “Rhode Island has a strong public policy commitment to protecting access to health care, including reproductive and transgender health care. The Health Care Provider Shield Act protects Rhode Island providers and patients from unwarranted out-of-state intrusion into medical decision making and ensures clinicians can continue to practice in line with the professional standards of care.”

The Health Care Provider Shield Act is supported by state health care associations and providers, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, Rhode Island Chapter, American Association of Nurses- RI/Rhode Island State Nurses Association, American College of Emergency Medicine Physicians, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American College of Physicians, RI, National Association of Social Workers, Nurse Practitioner Alliance of RI, Primary Care-Population Medicine MD-MSc Program Class of 2024, Rhode Island Academy of Family Medicine Physicians, Rhode Island Council of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Rhode Island Medical Society, Rhode Island Academy of Physicians Assistants, Spectrum, Hospital Association of Rhode Island, Open Door Health, Planned Parenthood of Southern NE, Thrive Behavioral Health, Thundermist Health Center, Rhode Island Health Center Association, and Wood River Health Services. 

La loi sur la protection des prestataires de soins de santé permettra de :

  • Protéger les prestataires de soins de santé du Rhode Island contre les poursuites civiles ou pénales abusives d'autres États
  • Protéger les habitants du Rhode Island afin qu'ils ne puissent pas divulguer leurs informations sur les soins de santé protégés aux forces de l'ordre d'autres États où ces soins sont interdits.
  • Veiller à ce que les prestataires de soins de Rhode Island ne soient pas injustement pénalisés par les établissements de santé ou les assurances pour avoir fourni des soins de santé légalement protégés et conformes aux normes professionnelles de soins.
  • Protéger les prestataires de soins de santé de la surveillance qui pourrait avoir un impact négatif sur leur capacité à fournir des soins protégés par la loi
  • Protéger tous les prestataires impliqués dans la prestation de soins de santé transgenres et reproductifs légalement protégés dans le Rhode Island, conformément aux normes professionnelles de soins, y compris les soins par télésanté
  • Veiller à ce que les ressources du Rhode Island ne soient pas utilisées pour alimenter des litiges hostiles de la part d'États où les soins de santé essentiels sont interdits

“This is a good day for patients and providers alike. Penalizing providers for delivering effective, best-practice medical care takes away patients’ ability to make informed decisions about their own and their children and families’ health,” said Jeanne LaChance, President/CEO, Thundermist Health Center. “Rhode Island has a long history of supporting transgender people’s freedom to live without discrimination, including in access to health care. We deeply appreciate the Senate’s vote to uphold that standard.”

“Today, the Senate underscored the significance of patient access to legal, standard-of-care transgender and reproductive health care, as well as the protection of providers delivering these essential services in Rhode Island,” stated Vimala Phongsavanh, Senior Director of External Affairs at Planned Parenthood of Southern New England. “With more states nationwide moving to ban abortion and transgender health care, patients and providers continue to face heightened health and legal risks. We are grateful for Senator Euer’s leadership and look forward to working with Representative Edwards to pass the Health Care Provider Shield Act in the House.”

“I’m thankful to my colleagues who voted for this important legislation. The Health Care Provider Shield Act is about protecting established, best-practice medical care that is legal in Rhode Island and ensuring that our local providers and our health care infrastructure aren’t negatively impacted by hostile laws in other states,” a déclaré le président de la commission judiciaire du Sénat, EuerDans plusieurs États américains, les responsables politiques se livrent à des excès gouvernementaux alarmants, interdisant l'accès aux soins médicaux essentiels et infligeant des sanctions civiles et pénales aux professionnels de santé qui pratiquent la médecine conformément aux normes professionnelles. Ce projet de loi garantira que ces lois étrangères ne seront pas utilisées contre les professionnels de santé du Rhode Island.

« Les décisions concernant les soins de santé essentiels doivent être prises par les patients, leurs familles et leurs professionnels de santé de confiance, et non par les responsables politiques. Il est essentiel que le Rhode Island prenne des mesures pour protéger l'accès à des soins de santé légaux et conformes aux normes de soins pour tous ceux qui en ont besoin, ainsi que pour les professionnels qui dispensent ces soins. » a déclaré le représentant Edwards. “I look forward to working with my colleagues in the House to quickly pass the Health Care Provider Shield Act.” 

The Health Care Provider Shield Act is also supported by a coalition of organizations including the ACLU of Rhode Island, Amnesty International USA, Center for Reproductive Rights, COYOTE, East Bay Community Action Program Rhode Island, GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD), House of Codec, Protect Our Health Care RI, PPRI Votes, Pride in Aging, RI Coalition Against Domestic Violence, RI Commission on Human Rights, RI Coalition for Reproductive Freedom, RI Public Health Institute, RI State Council of Churches, The Trevor Project, The Womxn Project, TGI Network, and Youth Pride Inc.

Learn more about the bill