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| 2 | 2 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 393 FILED ON: 1/13/2023 |
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| 3 | 3 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1580 |
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| 4 | 4 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 5 | 5 | | _________________ |
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| 6 | 6 | | PRESENTED BY: |
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| 7 | 7 | | Rebecca L. Rausch |
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| 8 | 8 | | _________________ |
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| 9 | 9 | | To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General |
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| 10 | 10 | | Court assembled: |
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| 11 | 11 | | The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill: |
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| 12 | 12 | | An Act relative to health education in women's correctional institutions. |
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| 13 | 13 | | _______________ |
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| 14 | 14 | | PETITION OF: |
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| 15 | 15 | | NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Rebecca L. RauschNorfolk, Worcester and Middlesex 1 of 2 |
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| 16 | 16 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 393 FILED ON: 1/13/2023 |
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| 17 | 17 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1580 |
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| 18 | 18 | | By Ms. Rausch, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1580) of Rebecca L. Rausch for |
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| 19 | 19 | | legislation relative to health education in women's correctional institutions. Public Safety and |
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| 20 | 20 | | Homeland Security. |
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| 21 | 21 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 22 | 22 | | _______________ |
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| 23 | 23 | | In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court |
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| 24 | 24 | | (2023-2024) |
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| 25 | 25 | | _______________ |
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| 26 | 26 | | An Act relative to health education in women's correctional institutions. |
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| 27 | 27 | | Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority |
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| 28 | 28 | | of the same, as follows: |
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| 29 | 29 | | 1 SECTION 1. Chapter 127 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after |
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| 30 | 30 | | 2Section 16A the following new sections:- |
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| 31 | 31 | | 3 Section 16B. Upon admission to a correctional institution and at any time thereafter, the |
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| 32 | 32 | | 4health services unit in each correctional institution where women are incarcerated shall make |
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| 33 | 33 | | 5available to all prisoners written information on women’s health, contraception, and sexually |
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| 34 | 34 | | 6transmitted infections. A user-friendly, culturally competent, and linguistically diverse brochure |
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| 35 | 35 | | 7containing the aforementioned information shall be created and distributed by the department of |
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| 36 | 36 | | 8public health. |
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| 37 | 37 | | 9 Section 16C. Not less than 4 months prior to the date of release for a female prisoner of |
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| 38 | 38 | | 10child-bearing age, the medical director of the correctional institution where the prisoner is |
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| 39 | 39 | | 11incarcerated shall offer the prisoner contraception counseling and a gynecological exam |
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| 40 | 40 | | 12including a Pap Test. Following said counseling, the medical director shall offer to provide her 2 of 2 |
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| 41 | 41 | | 13with the form of contraception she so chooses including but not limited to: female condoms, |
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| 42 | 42 | | 14male condoms, diaphragm, cervical cap, intra-uterine device, prescription birth control, or |
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| 43 | 43 | | 15contraceptive sponges. If the prisoner selects a type of contraception that must be taken for a |
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| 44 | 44 | | 16period of time before it becomes effective, then the prisoner shall begin the regimen not less than |
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| 45 | 45 | | 17three months prior to her date of release. Said medication shall be distributed during regular |
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| 46 | 46 | | 18medication distribution. Upon her release, the medical director shall furnish the woman with a 12 |
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| 47 | 47 | | 19month prescription to refill her medication, a referral to a pharmacy or doctor where said |
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| 48 | 48 | | 20prescription can be refilled, and a referral to a primary care physician or gynecologist for follow |
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| 49 | 49 | | 21up care. The foregoing notwithstanding, no prisoner shall be required to undergo a gynecological |
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| 50 | 50 | | 22exam or accept or utilize any type of contraception. |
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| 51 | 51 | | 23 SECTION 2. Said chapter 127, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by inserting |
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| 52 | 52 | | 24after Section 96B the following new section:- |
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| 53 | 53 | | 25 Section 96C. The superintendent of each correctional institution where women are |
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| 54 | 54 | | 26incarcerated shall offer a course on health education open to all eligible prisoners incarcerated in |
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| 55 | 55 | | 27said institutions. The course shall be offered no less than twice yearly and shall include, but not |
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| 56 | 56 | | 28be limited to, the following topics: general health, nutrition, mental health, women’s health |
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| 57 | 57 | | 29concerns, domestic violence, substance abuse, sexually transmitted infections, contraception, |
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| 58 | 58 | | 30emergency contraception, sex education, and pregnancy. Said course shall be developed in |
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| 59 | 59 | | 31consultation with the commissioner of public health. |
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