Illinois lawmakers have passed legislation that would allow patients to shield information about abortion services and gender dysphoria diagnoses from portions of their digital medical records.
The Reproductive Health Privacy Act was passed by the Senate on May 30 and by the House on May 31. The measure would require certain reproductive health information to be separated from a patient’s EMR if requested and would restrict access by out-of-state entities. The information would not be deleted from medical records but would be shielded and shared only under certain circumstances and with patient consent.
Supporters said the bill is intended to protect patients who travel to Illinois for abortion care from potential repercussions when they return to states with abortion restrictions, according to a May 31 report from Capitol News Illinois. Illinois providers care for nearly one-fourth of the 142,000 people who have left their home states for abortion services, according to data cited in the report.
Lawmakers in the state House and Senate also passed legislation that would allow all Illinois minors to consent to receiving birth control without parental consent.
Both bills now head to the governor’s desk.
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