HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3254        FILED ON: 1/20/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2146

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Mindy Domb and Kimberly N. Ferguson

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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 prohibiting nonconsensual intimate examinations of anesthetized or unconscious patients.

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PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Mindy Domb

3rd Hampshire

1/13/2023

Kimberly N. Ferguson

1st Worcester

1/20/2023

Natalie M. Higgins

4th Worcester

1/23/2023

David Henry Argosky LeBoeuf

17th Worcester

1/25/2023

Natalie M. Blais

1st Franklin

1/30/2023

Hannah Kane

11th Worcester

2/3/2023

Susannah M. Whipps

2nd Franklin

2/3/2023

Carole A. Fiola

6th Bristol

2/6/2023

David Allen Robertson

19th Middlesex

2/6/2023

Rebecca L. Rausch

Norfolk, Worcester and Middlesex

2/23/2023

Dawne Shand

1st Essex

3/31/2023

Ruth B. Balser

12th Middlesex

7/21/2023

Samantha Montaño

15th Suffolk

9/11/2023

Kristin E. Kassner

2nd Essex

9/20/2023

Sally P. Kerans

13th Essex

9/20/2023

Brandy Fluker Oakley

12th Suffolk

11/21/2023


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3254        FILED ON: 1/20/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2146

By Representatives Domb of Amherst and Ferguson of Holden, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2146) of Mindy Domb, Kimberly N. Ferguson and others relative to prohibiting nonconsensual intimate examinations of anesthetized or unconscious patients.  Public Health.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)

_______________

 

An Act prohibiting nonconsensual intimate examinations of anesthetized or unconscious patients.

 

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

Chapter 111 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 70H the following section:-

Section 70I. (a) For the purposes of this section, the following words shall have the following meanings:

"Intimate examination", a pelvic, prostate or rectal examination.

“Health care provider”, a physician, a student in a medical or nursing school participating in a course of instruction, a person participating in a residency program or clinical training program, a physician assistant, an advanced practice registered nurse or other health care provider.

(b) A health care provider may not perform an intimate examination on an anesthetized, deeply sedated or unconscious patient unless the patient has given specific informed consent in writing to the intimate examination; or the performance of an intimate examination is within the scope of care for the planned procedure, surgical procedure or diagnostic examination to be performed on the patient for which the patient has provided general consent; or, in the case of an emergency or urgent care situation on an unconscious patient, the intimate examination is required for diagnostic or treatment purposes.