HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3095        FILED ON: 1/18/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1484

 

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

1/15/2019

Brian M. Ashe

2nd Hampden

1/18/2019

Ruth B. Balser

12th Middlesex

1/24/2019

Christine P. Barber

34th Middlesex

1/25/2019

Julian Cyr

Cape and Islands

2/1/2019

James B. Eldridge

Middlesex and Worcester

2/1/2019

Nika C. Elugardo

15th Suffolk

1/30/2019

Sean Garballey

23rd Middlesex

1/28/2019

Carlos González

10th Hampden

1/25/2019

James K. Hawkins

2nd Bristol

2/2/2019

Russell E. Holmes

6th Suffolk

2/1/2019

David Henry Argosky LeBoeuf

17th Worcester

1/23/2019

Jason M. Lewis

Fifth Middlesex

1/23/2019

Liz Miranda

5th Suffolk

1/31/2019

Denise Provost

27th Middlesex

1/31/2019

Rebecca L. Rausch

Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex

1/18/2019

José F. Tosado

9th Hampden

2/1/2019


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3095        FILED ON: 1/18/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1484

By Ms. Khan of Newton, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1484) 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. 2312 OF 2017-2018.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-First General Court
(2019-2020)

_______________

 

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 prisoners 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. The foregoing notwithstanding, no prisoner shall be required to undergo a gynecological exam or accept or utilize any type of contraception.

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 prisoners 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.