The Vermont Statutes Online

Title 1 : General Provisions

Chapter 003 : Construction of Statutes

Subchapter 002 : Definition of Terms

• § 150. Legally protected health care activity

  (a) “Gender-affirming health care services” means all supplies, care, and services of a medical, behavioral health, mental health, surgical, psychiatric, therapeutic, diagnostic, preventative, rehabilitative, or supportive nature, including medication, relating to the treatment of gender dysphoria and gender incongruence. “Gender-affirming health care services” does not include conversion therapy as defined by 18 V.S.A. § 8351.

  (b)(1) “Legally protected health care activity” means:

  (A) the exercise and enjoyment, or attempted exercise and enjoyment, by any person of rights to reproductive health care services or gender-affirming health care services secured by this State;

  (B) any act or omission undertaken to aid or encourage, or attempt to aid or encourage, any person in the exercise and enjoyment, or attempted exercise and enjoyment, of rights to reproductive health care services or gender-affirming health care services secured by this State, provided that the provision of such a health care service by a person duly licensed under the laws of this State and physically present in this State shall be legally protected if the service is permitted under the laws of this State, regardless of the patient’s location; or

  (C) the provision, issuance, or use of, or enrollment in, insurance or other health coverage for reproductive health care services or gender-affirming health care services that are legal in this State, or any act to aid or encourage, or attempt to aid or encourage, any person in the provision, issuance, or use of, or enrollment in, insurance or other health coverage for those services, regardless of the location of the insured or individual seeking insurance or health coverage, if the insurance or health coverage is permitted under the laws of this State.

  (2) Except as provided in subdivision (3) of this subsection, the protections applicable to “legally protected health care activity” shall not apply to a lawsuit; judgment; or civil, criminal, or administrative action that is based on conduct for which an action would exist under the laws of this State if the course of conduct that forms the basis for liability had occurred entirely in this State.

  (3) Notwithstanding subdivision (2) of this subsection, the provision of a health care service by a person duly licensed under the laws of this State and physically present in this State shall be legally protected if the service is permitted under the laws of this State, regardless of the patient’s location or whether the health care provider is licensed in the state where the patient is located at the time the service is rendered.

  (c)(1) “Reproductive health care services” means all supplies, care, and services of a medical, behavioral health, mental health, surgical, psychiatric, therapeutic, diagnostic, preventative, rehabilitative, or supportive nature, including medication, relating to pregnancy, contraception, assisted reproduction, pregnancy loss management, or the termination of a pregnancy.

  (2) “Reproductive health care services” includes medication that was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for termination of a pregnancy as of January 1, 2023, regardless of the medication’s current FDA approval status:

  (A) when such medication is procured, ordered, stored, distributed, prescribed, dispensed, or administered, or a combination thereof, by a person duly licensed under the laws of this State, as long as the licensee’s actions conform to the essential standards of acceptable and prevailing practice for the licensee’s profession; or

  (B) when such medication is used by an individual. (Added 2023, No. 14, §1 and No. 15, § 1, both eff. May 10, 2023.)