Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts Senate Bill S2543

Introduced
6/26/25  
Engrossed
6/26/25  
Refer
7/3/25  
Refer
7/16/25  

Caption

Strengthening health care protections in the Commonwealth

Impact

The bill proposes significant amendments to existing laws that emphasize the protection of individuals involved in reproductive health care and gender-affirming services. For instance, it explicitly prohibits courts from using legal findings from other jurisdictions—specifically those jurisdictions which may criminalize or penalize individuals for accessing or providing gender-affirming services—as grounds for custody disputes or allegations of neglect. This could potentially protect families from external legal repercussions that might arise from state-level conflicts regarding health care decisions, thereby reinforcing Massachusetts as a safe haven for such health care activities.

Summary

Senate Bill S2543 aims to strengthen health care protections in the Commonwealth by establishing clear rights and exclusions regarding reproductive and gender-affirming health services. Key stipulations include prohibiting state and local agencies from cooperating with federal law enforcement investigations that involve legally-protected health care activities, ensuring that such services are not subjected to additional scrutiny or penalties based on their legality in other jurisdictions. This legislative measure reflects and reinforces the state's commitment to protecting both patients and health care providers involved in these activities.

Contention

Notable points of contention surrounding S2543 involve concerns from various stakeholders. Advocates for reproductive rights largely support the bill for its protective measures, while some conservative groups criticize it as an overreach that undermines parental rights and state authority regarding medical decisions for minors. The aspect of limiting cooperation with federal agents has drawn particular scrutiny, with opponents arguing that it may impede law enforcement’s ability to address situations of criminality related to health care fraud or abuse in different contexts.

Companion Bills

MA H4294

Replaced by Similar Bills

Previously Filed As

MA H1185

Strengthening market oversight of the Commonwealth's Health Care System

MA H4387

Strengthening the Commonwealth’s farms and food systems

MA S1248

To increase investment in behavioral health care in the Commonwealth

MA S1415

Relative to birthing justice in the Commonwealth

MA S1113

Strengthening the commonwealth's Anti-SLAPP law

MA H5100

Relative to strengthening Massachusetts’ economic leadership

MA S2734

Relative to birthing justice in the Commonwealth.

MA S1166

Ensuring domestic violence victims' protections for all employees in the Commonwealth

MA H4804

Relative to strengthening Massachusetts’ economic leadership

MA H1919

Ensuring domestic violence victims' protections for all employees in the Commonwealth

Similar Bills

MA S2538

Strengthening health care protections in the Commonwealth

MA S2522

Strengthening health care protections in the Commonwealth

PA HB350

In intestate succession, further providing for rules of succession; in administration and personal representatives, providing for liability of executor; in proceedings prior to petition to adopt, further providing for rules of succession, for hearing, for alternative procedure for relinquishment and for hearing; in support matters generally, further providing general administration of support matters, repealing provisions relating to paternity and further providing for continuing jurisdiction over support orders; in general provisions relating to children and minors, repealing provisions relating to acknowledgment and claim of paternity; in jurisdiction, further providing for bases for jurisdiction over nonresident; enacting the Uniform Parentage Act; providing for parent-child relationship for certain individuals, for voluntary acknowledgment of parentage, for genetic testing, for proceeding to adjudicate parentage, for assisted reproduction, for surrogacy agreements and for information about donors; and, in organization and jurisdiction of courts of common pleas, further providing for original jurisdiction and venue.

PA HB350

In proceedings prior to petition to adopt, further providing for hearing, for alternative procedure for relinquishment and for hearing; in support matters generally, further providing for paternity and for continuing jurisdiction over support orders; in general provisions relating to children and minors, repealing provisions relating to acknowledgment and claim of paternity; in jurisdiction, further providing for bases for jurisdiction over nonresident; enacting the Uniform Parentage Act; and providing for parent-child relationship for certain individuals, for voluntary acknowledgment of parentage, for genetic testing, for proceeding to adjudicate parentage, for assisted reproduction, for surrogacy agreements and for information about donors.

PA SB837

In provisions relating to abortion, repealing provisions relating to short title of chapter and to legislative intent, further providing for definitions, repealing provisions relating to medical consultation and judgment, to informed consent, to parental consent, to abortion facilities, to printed information, to Commonwealth interference prohibited, to spousal notice, to determination of gestational age, to abortion on unborn child of 24 or more weeks gestational age, to infanticide, to prohibited acts and to reporting, further providing for publicly owned facilities, public officials and public funds and for fetal experimentation and repealing provisions relating to civil penalties, to criminal penalties, to State Board of Medicine and State Board of Osteopathic Medicine and to construction; providing for reproductive rights; repealing provisions relating to compliance with Federal health care legislation as to regulation of insurers and related persons generally; imposing penalties; and making an editorial change.

PA HB2304

In provisions relating to abortion, repealing provisions relating to short title of chapter and to legislative intent, further providing for definitions, repealing provisions relating to medical consultation and judgment, to informed consent, to parental consent, to abortion facilities, to printed information, to Commonwealth interference prohibited, to spousal notice, to determination of gestational age, to abortion on unborn child of 24 or more weeks gestational age, to infanticide, to prohibited acts and to reporting, further providing for publicly owned facilities, public officials and public funds and for fetal experimentation and repealing provisions relating to civil penalties, to criminal penalties, to State Board of Medicine and State Board of Osteopathic Medicine and to construction; providing for reproductive rights; repealing provisions relating to compliance with Federal health care legislation as to regulation of insurers and related persons generally; imposing penalties; and making an editorial change.

PA HB26

In provisions relating to abortion, repealing provisions relating to short title of chapter and to legislative intent, further providing for definitions, repealing provisions relating to medical consultation and judgment, to informed consent, to parental consent, to abortion facilities, to printed information, to Commonwealth interference prohibited, to spousal notice, to determination of gestational age, to abortion on unborn child of 24 or more weeks gestational age, to infanticide, to prohibited acts and to reporting, further providing for publicly owned facilities, public officials and public funds and for fetal experimentation and repealing provisions relating to civil penalties, to criminal penalties, to State Board of Medicine and State Board of Osteopathic Medicine and to construction; providing for reproductive rights; repealing provisions relating to compliance with Federal health care legislation as to regulation of insurers and related persons generally; and imposing penalties.

PA HB800

Providing for sharing of reproductive health information.