Bill
LC 488
Bans health care facilities from using patient information for electioneering, protecting privacy and preventing campaigns tied to medical data.
Overview
- Bill number: LC 488
- Title: Prevent health care facilities from using patient information for electioneering
- Status: LC Draft Died in Process (as of May 22, 2025)
- Introduced: October 4, 2024
- Recent actions: Draft On Hold (Nov 5, 2024); Draft Died in Process (May 22, 2025)
- Subject: Elections
Note: The full text of the bill is not provided here. This summary is based on the bill’s title, status history, and common features of related legislation.
Purpose and intent
- The bill appears intended to prohibit health care facilities from using patient information for electioneering or political campaigning.
- Aims to protect patient privacy and prevent health care settings from being used to influence political views or voting behavior.
Key provisions (inferred from the title and typical legislative structure)
- Prohibition on use of patient information for political activities: Health care facilities would be barred from using information obtained through patient care for electioneering, political outreach, or similar campaigning.
- Scope of information: Likely would cover patient records, contact information, appointment data, or other information collected in the course of health care provision.
- Prohibited activities: Targeted political messaging or fundraising efforts directed at patients or their families by health care facilities or staff using patient data.
- Data handling and privacy safeguards: Possible requirements to separate medical records from political activities and to implement controls to prevent data leakage for electoral purposes.
- Exceptions (potential): Uses required by law, public health communications, or information shared with patient consent; disclosures governed by existing privacy/health information laws (e.g., HIPAA) and related exemptions.
- Training and awareness: Possible mandate for staff training on privacy and prohibitions against electioneering using patient data.
- Enforcement and remedies: Likely enforcement by a state agency or attorney general; potential civil penalties, injunctive relief, or other remedies for violations.
- Reporting and transparency: Possible requirement for annual reporting or recordkeeping to demonstrate compliance.
Who would be affected
- Health care facilities (hospitals, clinics, urgent care centers, private practices, etc.)
- Health care professionals and staff
- Administrative personnel handling patient information
- Patients and patient communities
Timeline and procedural notes
- Introduced: Oct 4, 2024
- Draft status changes: On Hold (Nov 5, 2024); Died in Process (May 22, 2025)
- Fate: The bill did not advance in its current draft as of the latest status.
Potential impact
- Privacy protection: If enacted, would strengthen safeguards against the use of patient data for political purposes in health care settings.
- Compliance burden: Facilities may need to implement new data governance, training, and monitoring to ensure compliance.
- Public trust: Could reduce perceived conflicts of interest between health care activities and political campaigning.
Next steps / watch points
- Monitor whether LC 488 is reintroduced or amended in future sessions.
- If reintroduced, look for: precise definitions (what constitutes “electioneering” and “patient information”), explicit exceptions, enforcement mechanisms, and any transition timelines.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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