Budget Amendment ID: FY2027-S4-269

GOV 269

Institutional Records in the Custody of DPH

Mr. Barrett moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting after section _ the following section:-

"SECTION _. Section 70 of chapter 111 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following paragraph:- There shall be a rebuttable presumption that disclosure of patient records from Tewskbury State Hospital, Rutland Heights State Hospital, and Pondville State Hospital more than 50 years after the death of the patient is in the best interest of the patient; provided, that the: (i) records are facility records; and (ii) requestor is a close relative or engaged in academic research. The department shall make best efforts to redact any personal identifying information of living individuals in such patient records in order to avoid undue invasions of privacy. The department shall promulgate regulations in collaboration with the department of mental health to implement this rule."