An act relating to access to certain legally protected health care services
S.28 is a broad health-care privacy and access bill focused on protecting reproductive health care and gender-affirming care in Vermont. It expands the definition of “legally protected health care activity” to cover conduct that was lawful in another U.S. jurisdiction and would have been protected in Vermont, and it strengthens protections for patients and providers involved in those services. The bill also creates or updates confidentiality, licensing, and consumer-protection rules affecting health care providers, pharmacies, covered entities, public agencies, and pregnancy services centers.
A major portion of the bill targets limited-services pregnancy centers, making misleading advertising about health care services an unfair and deceptive act in commerce and clarifying that the Attorney General may enforce those provisions. It also restricts disclosure of protected health information related to legally protected health care activity, limits cooperation by Vermont public agencies with out-of-state or federal investigations seeking liability for lawful in-state activity, and protects licensed health care professionals from discipline based solely on providing or assisting with legally protected care or on out-of-state actions tied only to that care. The bill further allows redaction of prescriber and pharmacist names from noncontrolled prescriptions for reproductive or gender-affirming care, and it updates telehealth and professional-conduct rules to accommodate medication abortion and related services.
The bill amends multiple titles of Vermont law, including public records, professional licensing and discipline, consumer protection, confidentiality of health information, vital records reporting, and pharmacy practice. It narrows public access to certain licensing records, expands protections against professional discipline for providers involved in reproductive or gender-affirming care, and creates new privacy limits on disclosure of health information connected to those services. It also adds enforcement tools against deceptive pregnancy-center advertising and limits state cooperation with outside investigations targeting lawful health care activity in Vermont.
The bill appears to have been generally supported by a strong majority in the House, passing 97-43, and it was signed by the Governor on May 13, 2025. The text and structure indicate a clear policy preference in favor of protecting access to reproductive and gender-affirming care, patient privacy, and provider security. The absence of committee transcript material limits direct evidence of debate, but the recorded vote suggests substantial support alongside meaningful opposition.
The main points of contention are likely the bill’s restrictions on crisis pregnancy center advertising, its limits on state cooperation with out-of-state or federal investigations, and its privacy protections that can reduce disclosure of provider and patient information. Opponents would likely view these provisions as shielding controversial health care practices and constraining oversight or enforcement, while supporters would frame them as necessary protections against deception, harassment, and legal interference. The bill also touches on telehealth prescribing and pharmacy record redaction, which may raise concerns among regulators and professional boards about implementation and accountability.