Vermont must protect patients and providers
Act Now
Patients and providers deserve to seek, access, and deliver reproductive and gender-affirming health care without fear or shame. In Vermont, we have the opportunity to further secure reproductive justice and bodily autonomy for all by passing H.89 and S.37.
In 2022, Vermont voters made history by passing the Reproductive Liberty Amendment. This amendment enshrined reproductive autonomy as a constitutional and fundamental right for everyone in Vermont, embedding the strongest possible protection of abortion rights and other reproductive care in our state constitution.
The next key step is to enact "shield laws" to protect patients and providers who administer or receive reproductive and gender-affirming health care services that are legal in Vermont. As politicians across the country attempt to criminalize care provided across state lines and enable frivolous and abusive civil litigation, this is the best way to protect providers and patients who administer or access this life-saving care in our state – much like legislators have already done in Massachusetts and Connecticut
Right now, the Vermont legislature is working to pass two bills – House Bill 89 (H.89) and Senate Bill 37 (S.37). Both intend to protect providers and patients through several different legal mechanisms, including enabling "claw back" lawsuits to protect against abusive litigation, enhancing privacy of medical information, protecting providers' ability to practice medicine when offering legally protected health care, and prohibiting Vermont officials from assisting another state in pursuing criminal or civil liability for providers.
We are asking voters to contact their legislators today. Urge them to support H.89 and S.37.
Message Recipients:
Your State Senator
Your State Representatives