Del. legislature passes bill to protect abortion providers, patients

DOVER, Del. – The Delaware State Senate has passed legislation to expand access to abortions and enhance protections for abortion providers and patients seeking care.

House Bill 455 includes several provisions that increase access to abortion services, including:

• Expanding provider capacity – under the bill, advanced practice registered nurses will be able to perform abortions in alignment with their scope of practice for the purposes of terminating a pregnancy
• Protecting medical privacy – the bill would prevent providers from disclosing communications and records concerning reproductive health services, with an exception for if such records are requested for the purposes of investigating a complaint against a healthcare provider
• Limiting extradition powers – provisions in this bill protect individuals from extradition to other states for criminal charges related to the termination of a pregnancy
• Preventing civil action and providing a cause of action – under the bill, those who seek, obtain, provide, or assist others in obtaining services to terminate a pregnancy in Delaware would be protected from civil actions in another state. The bill would also provide a cause of action where someone sued in another state for allegedly providing or receiving abortion services that are legal in Delaware can recover related costs, damages, or attorney fees
• Protecting abortion providers: the bill clarifies that medical professionals who perform, recommend, or provide legal reproductive health services in Delaware are not subject to other states’ abortion provider regulations. The bill would also prohibit insurers from increasing premiums or taking adverse actions against providers and organizations for providing legal reproductive health care services, even via telehealth

House Bill 455 now heads to Governor John Carney’s desk for his signature.