Reproductive Equity Now Celebrates House and Senate Agreement on Legislation to Strengthen Shield Law
The House and Senate Have Reached an Agreement on “Shield Law 2.0”; Bill now heads to Governor Healey’s desk
BOSTON (August 1, 2025) – Yesterday, the Massachusetts House and Senate reached an agreement reconciling the differences between H.4294 and S.2543, both titled An Act Strengthening Health Care Protections in the Commonwealth.
This legislation will bolster Massachusetts’ protections for reproductive and gender-affirming care providers, patients, and advocates, including by:
Allowing providers critical anonymity by using their practice name on prescription labels for reproductive and gender-affirming health care medicines;
Providing additional guardrails to protect personally-identifiable information and private medical records related to reproductive or gender-affirming care services;
Codifying state-level protections for the provision of emergency abortion care; and
Ensuring all clinicians and lawyers are protected from professional discipline related to reproductive or gender-affirming care provision, and more.
“This agreement between the House and Senate sends a clear and urgent message: Massachusetts will not back down in the face of mounting attacks on abortion access and bodily autonomy,” said Rebecca Hart Holder, President of Reproductive Equity Now. “As the Shield Law 2.0 now heads to Governor Healey’s desk, our Commonwealth is taking bold, meaningful action to further protect patients, providers, and the fundamental rights of everyone seeking care. At a time when extremists are working to criminalize care and silence providers, Massachusetts is once again stepping up as a national leader. We are deeply grateful to Senate President Spilka, Speaker Mariano, Chair Michlewitz, Chair Friedman, Chair Day, and all of our legislative champions who have worked tirelessly to ensure these critical protections become law.”
In June, the Massachusetts Senate voted 37-3 to engross S.2543. Earlier this month, the Massachusetts House voted 136-23 to engross their version of the bill, H.4294.
The Boston Globe published an article in June featuring the proposed expansion of the shield law.
Last month, Reproductive Equity Now’s Senior Director of Policy and Programs, Claire Teylouni, testified before the Massachusetts Joint Committee on the Judiciary during a public hearing in support of this legislation. The bill is part of Reproductive Equity Now’s Massachusetts 2025 legislative priorities, which include expanding access to abortion care throughout pregnancy, protecting patients’ and providers' digital privacy, and making the full spectrum of pregnancy care more affordable.
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