AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND GENDER-AFFIRMING HEALTHCARE DATA PRIVACY ACT

This bill establishes the Reproductive Health and Gender-Affirming Healthcare Data Privacy Act to protect personal health information related to reproductive and gender-affirming care from unauthorized collection and use. It defines specific categories of protected data, including gender-affirming care information and reproductive health details, and sets strict rules for how companies and organizations can collect, process, and share this information. The law requires clear, informed consent from individuals before their sensitive health data can be gathered, prohibits deceptive design practices that might trick users into sharing information, and restricts the use of broad terms of service agreements to obtain permission for data collection. The legislation primarily affects businesses and entities that handle consumer health data in Rhode Island, requiring them to implement specific privacy safeguards and obtain explicit authorization before processing sensitive reproductive or gender-affirming healthcare records.