Massachusetts’ Senate introduced a bill recently to better allow healthcare professionals and lawyers to work safely with people accessing gender-affirming and reproductive care.
The bill was first introduced by Sen. Cindy Friedman (D) who cited Trump’s latest attacks on healthcare as a motivating force. Friedman included the bill as part of a larger legislative effort called “Response 2025,” which reportedly is meant to counter alt-right Project 2025, NBC 10 Boston reports.
If approved, the bill would prevent state agencies from providing information to, or working with, federal or out-of-state investigators who may seek to prosecute a healthcare provider or lawyer for helping someone get gender-affirming care or reproductive healthcare.
It would also ban insurance companies from discriminating against non profit organizations that offer this care to state residents. It would impose data protections on electronic medical records to prevent out-of-state agencies from accessing them, LGBTQ Nation reports.
Friedman said in a press release that the bill was intended to “protect, defend, and lead Massachusetts through oncoming threats from the federal government.”
The bill will also protect emergency abortion access, requiring in-state hospitals to provide these procedures if deemed appropriate by a healthcare provider. “They can’t turn anyone away,” Friedman said. “They have to provide the care that’s going to save your life.”
“This [bill] says, ‘You, as the federal government and other states, cannot determine what is legal healthcare in Massachusetts. You seem to be so focused on the whole issues around gender, we’re not going to allow that because Massachusetts has decided that this is a legal form of health care.’ They love to talk about gender-affirming care and women’s reproductive health, but we, the state, get to decide what kind of care is legal and can be delivered in Massachusetts.”
Since Trump took office, the Northeastern state has been aligning itself in defense of the LGBTQ+ community. Just last month, the Boston City Council officially designated itself as a sanctuary for the community.
Other states have moved to make similar designations. Minnesota, Illinois, Connecticut and California have all passed sanctuary legislation as well.
