Bill Text: HI SB2394 | 2020 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Relating To Limited Service Pregnancy Centers.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-01-23 - Referred to CPH, JDC. [SB2394 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2020-SB2394-Introduced.html

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THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	2394
THIRTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2020
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

relating to limited service pregnancy centers.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that Act 200, Session Laws of Hawaii 2017 (Act 200), required that limited service pregnancy centers distribute information relating to comprehensive family planning services, including services not offered by the limited service pregnancy center, to their clients or patients.  Act 200 was subsequently codified as sections 321-561 and 321-562, Hawaii Revised Statutes. 

     The legislature further finds that, in Calvary Chapel Pearl Harbor v. Suzuki, Civil Action No. 17-00326-DKW-KSC (2018), the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii declared section 321-561(b) and (c), Hawaii Revised Statutes, to be unconstitutional in light of the Supreme Court of the United States decision in National Institute of Family and Life Advocates v. Becerra, 138 S.Ct. 2361 (2018), and issued a permanent injunction against enforcement of that section.

     Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to repeal sections 321-561 and 321-562, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

     SECTION 2.  Section 321-561, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is repealed.

     ["[§321-561]  Limited service pregnancy centers; notice of reproductive health services.  (a)  For purposes of this section, "limited service pregnancy center" or "center":

     (1)  Means a facility that:

          (A)  Advertises or solicits clients or patients with offers to provide prenatal sonography, pregnancy tests, or pregnancy options counseling;

          (B)  Collects health information from clients or patients; and

          (C)  Provides family planning or pregnancy-related services, including but not limited to obstetric ultrasound, obstetric sonogram, pregnancy testing, pregnancy diagnosis, reproductive health counseling, or prenatal care; and

     (2)  Shall not include a health care facility.  For the purposes of this paragraph, a "health care facility" means any facility designed to provide comprehensive health care, including but not limited to hospitals licensed pursuant to chapter 321, intermediate care facilities, organized ambulatory health care facilities, emergency care facilities and centers, health maintenance organizations, federally qualified health centers, and other facilities providing similarly organized comprehensive health care services.

     (b)  Every limited service pregnancy center in the State shall disseminate on-site to clients or patients the following written notice in English or another language requested by a client or patient:

     "Hawaii has public programs that provide immediate free or low-cost access to comprehensive family planning services, including, but not limited to, all FDA-approved methods of contraception and pregnancy-related services for eligible women.

     To apply online for medical insurance coverage, that will cover the full range of family planning and prenatal care services, go to mybenefits.hawaii.gov.

     Only ultrasounds performed by qualified health care professionals and read by licensed clinicians should be considered medically accurate."

     The notice shall contain the internet address for online medical assistance applications and the statewide phone number for medical assistance applications.

     (c)  The information required by subsection (b) shall be disclosed in at least one of the following ways:

     (1)  A public notice on a sign sized at least eight and one-half inches by eleven inches, written in no less than twenty-two point type, and posted in a clear and conspicuous place within the center's waiting area so that it may be easily read by individuals seeking services from the center; or

     (2)  A printed or digital notice written or rendered in no less than fourteen point type that is distributed individually to each patient or client at the time of check-in for services; provided that a printed notice shall be available to all individuals who cannot or do not wish to receive the notice in a digital format.

     (d)  No limited service pregnancy center that collects health information from any individual seeking or receiving its services shall disclose any individually identifiable health information to any other person, entity, or organization without express written authorization from the subject individual.  Any disclosure made under this section shall be limited by the express terms of the written authorization and all applicable state and federal laws and regulations, including the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 and title 45 Code of Federal Regulations part 164.

     (e)  A limited service pregnancy center that provides or assists in the provision of pregnancy testing shall provide the individual tested with a free written statement of the results of the pregnancy test in English or another language requested by a client or patient immediately after the test is completed.

     (f)  Upon receipt of a written request from an individual to examine or copy all or part of the individual's recorded health information or other information retained by a limited service pregnancy center, the center shall, promptly as required under the circumstances but in no case later than fifteen working days after receiving the request:

     (1)  Make the information available for examination by the individual during regular business hours;

     (2)  Provide a free copy to the individual, if requested;

     (3)  Inform the individual if the information does not exist or cannot be found; and

     (4)  If the center does not maintain the record or information, inform the individual of that fact and provide the name and address of the entity that maintains the record or information."]

     SECTION 3.  Section 321-562, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is repealed.

     ["[§321-562]  Limited service pregnancy centers; enforcement; private right of action.  (a)  A limited service pregnancy center that violates section 321-561 shall be liable for a civil penalty of $500 for a first offense and $1,000 for each subsequent offense.  If the center is provided with reasonable notice of noncompliance, which informs the center that it is subject to a civil penalty if it does not correct the violation within thirty days from the date the notice is sent to the center, and the violation is not corrected as of the expiration of the thirty-day notice period, the attorney general may bring an action in the district court of the district in which the center is located to enforce this section.

     A civil penalty imposed pursuant to this subsection shall be deposited to the credit of the general fund.

     (b)  Any person who is aggrieved by a limited service pregnancy center's violation of section 321-561 may bring a civil action against the limited service pregnancy center in the district court of the district in which the center is located to enjoin further violations and to recover actual damages sustained together with the costs of the suit including reasonable attorneys' fees.  The court may, in its discretion, increase the award of damages to an amount not to exceed three times the actual damages sustained.  If damages are awarded pursuant to this subsection, the court may, in its discretion, impose on a liable center a civil fine of not more than $1,000 to be paid to the plaintiff.

     A party seeking civil damages under this subsection may recover upon proof of a violation by a preponderance of the evidence.

     For the purposes of this subsection, "person" includes a natural or legal person.

     (c)  The enforcement procedure and remedies provided by this section shall be in addition to any other procedure or remedy that may be available to the State or a person aggrieved by a violation of this chapter.

     (d)  This section and section 321-561 are not intended to require regulation or oversight of limited service pregnancy centers by the department of health."]

     SECTION 4.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.

     SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

 

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

 

 

Report Title:

Limited Service Pregnancy Centers; Notice of Reproductive Health Services; Repeal

 

Description:

Repeals sections 321-561 and 321-562, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

 

 

 

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.