HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 442        FILED ON: 1/11/2013

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1431

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Kay Khan

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act for health education in women's correctional institutions.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Kay Khan

11th Middlesex

 

Ellen Story

3rd Hampshire

1/31/2013

Sarah K. Peake

4th Barnstable

1/24/2013

Jennifer E. Benson

37th Middlesex

2/1/2013

Marcos A. Devers

16th Essex

1/28/2013

Stephen L. DiNatale

3rd Worcester

1/14/2013

Gloria L. Fox

7th Suffolk

2/1/2013

Sean Garballey

23rd Middlesex

2/1/2013

Peter V. Kocot

1st Hampshire

1/15/2013

Denise Provost

27th Middlesex

1/30/2013

Timothy J. Toomey, Jr.

26th Middlesex

 


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 442        FILED ON: 1/11/2013

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1431

By Ms. Khan of Newton, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1431) of Kay Khan and others relative to providing written health education information to incarcerated women by correctional institutions.  The Judiciary.

 

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 2833 OF 2011-2012.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the Year Two Thousand Thirteen

_______________

 

An Act for health education in women's correctional institutions.

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1.  Chapter 127 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after Section 16A the following new sections:—

Section 16B. Upon admission to a correctional institution and at anytime thereafter, the health services unit in each correctional institution where women are incarcerated shall make available to all women written information on women’s health, contraception, and sexually transmitted infections.  A user-friendly brochure containing the aforementioned information shall be created by the department of public health and distributed in the women’s native languages. 

Section 16C. Not less than four months prior to the date of release for a female prisoner of child bearing age, the medical director of the correctional institution where the prisoner is incarcerated shall offer the prisoner contraception counseling and a gynecological exam including a Pap Test.  Following said counseling, the medical director shall offer to provide her with the form of contraception she so chooses including but not limited to: female condoms, male condoms, diaphragm, cervical cap, intra-uterine device, prescription birth control, or contraceptive sponges.  If the prisoner selects a type of contraception that must be taken for a period of time before it becomes effective, then the prisoner shall begin the regimen not less than three months prior to her date of release.  Said medication shall be distributed during regular medication distribution.  Upon her release, the medical director shall furnish the woman with a twelve month prescription to refill her medication, a referral to a pharmacy or doctor where said prescription can be refilled, and a referral to a primary care physician or gynecologist for follow up care.

SECTION 2.  Chapter 127 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after Section 96B the following new section:—

Section 96C.  The superintendent of each correctional institution where women are incarcerated shall at all times offer a course on health education open to all eligible women incarcerated in said institutions.  The course shall include, but not be limited to, the following topics: general health, nutrition, mental health, women’s health concerns, domestic violence, substance abuse, sexually transmitted infections, contraception, emergency contraception, sex education, and pregnancy.  Said course shall be developed in consultation with the commissioner of public health.