Summary — S.4914
Title: Protects individuals who provide or receive legally protected health activity from criminal or civil liability or professional sanctions imposed by jurisdictions outside the state; repealer
Note: The bill text provided in the submission was unreadable/corrupted. The summary below is based on the bill title, legislative history, and standard legislative models for “interstate shield” or “protective” statutes addressing out-of-state enforcement of laws relating to health care. For exact statutory language and definitive provisions, consult the official legislative text (S4914B / S4914A) on the legislature’s website.
Purpose / Intent
S.4914 seeks to insulate people who lawfully receive or provide health care in the state from criminal prosecution, civil liability, or professional discipline initiated by other states or foreign jurisdictions that prohibit or penalize the same health activity. The primary intent is to prevent out‑of‑state laws, subpoenas, judgments, or professional sanctions from being used to punish individuals for engaging in health services that are lawful within this state.
Key provisions (summary of likely/typical elements)
Because the bill text was unreadable, the following describes the types of provisions typically included in bills with this title and purpose — readers should verify exact language in the official text.
- Protection from enforcement: Prohibits the state’s courts and agencies from enforcing out‑of‑state criminal or civil penalties, arrests, warrants, or orders that penalize persons for receiving or providing health activities lawful in this state.
- Non‑recognition of judgments: Bars state courts from recognizing or giving effect to foreign judgments, orders, or administrative sanctions that penalize protected health activity.
- Noncooperation: Prohibits state officials and licensing boards from assisting out‑of‑state investigations or disciplinary proceedings (e.g., refusing to provide files, records, or aid in enforcement).
- Privacy and confidentiality: Limits disclosure of patient, provider, or facility records in response to out‑of‑state subpoenas or investigatory requests related to protected health activity; may establish procedures for responding to demands.
- Civil remedies and enforcement: May create a private cause of action or administrative penalties for improper cooperation with out‑of‑state enforcement efforts.
- Definitions: Likely defines “legally protected health activity” (examples: abortion/reproductive services, gender‑affirming care, contraception) and identifies who qualifies as “provider,” “recipient,” and “jurisdiction outside the state.”
- Exceptions and interplay with federal law: Typical bills carve out compliance obligations mandated by federal law, child‑welfare proceedings, or court orders addressing nonconsensual abuse.
Who would be affected
- Patients/recipients of health services that are lawful in the state (e.g., reproductive or gender‑affirming care, depending on statutory definitions).
- Health care providers and organizations licensed in the state.
- State agencies, licensing boards, and courts (through restrictions on cooperation and recognition).
- Out‑of‑state authorities seeking enforcement or records (their enforcement efforts could be limited within this state).
- Insurers, employers, and third parties potentially involved in record production.
Procedural / timeline information
- Introduced: (document shows Nov 30, 2025 — this date conflicts with listed actions; consult official record)
- Referred to Children and Families: 2025-02-14
- Advanced and amended in the Senate through spring 2025 (print 4914A; amended on third reading as 4914B on 2025-05-19)
- Passed Senate: 2025-05-22; delivered to Assembly and referred to Codes
- Substituted for A5480C and later progressed in the Assembly
- Passed Assembly and Returned to Senate: 2025-06-16 (status: RETURNED TO SENATE)
Related/companion measures: A.5826; A.5480 (companion); prior-session S.7506.
Potential impacts and legal considerations
- Strengthens the state’s ability to protect patients and providers from extraterritorial prosecution or civil penalties for health services lawful in-state.
- Could generate interstate legal conflicts, including lawsuits addressing the constitutionality of non‑recognition provisions and federal preemption issues.
- May reduce compliance/cooperation by state actors with out‑of‑state subpoenas or investigations, affecting cross‑state information sharing.
- Likely to be subject to litigation from jurisdictions or parties adversely affected by non‑recognition/enforcement limits.
Next steps / where to read the bill
Because the provided bill PDF content was corrupted, review the official, current legislative text and bill memorandum on the state legislature’s website (search S4914, S4914A, S4914B) for authoritative language, exact definitions, exceptions, enforcement mechanisms, and fiscal notes.
