Oregon Legislature Website Was Down. Here’s a Back-up Plan.

Mar 18

For a brief period of time this morning, the entire Oregon Legislature website was down. Citizens could not access and read proposed legislation, what to speak of submit written commentary or register to testify. I have no idea what happened, or why. But House Bill 2002’s hearing is scheduled for Monday.

So, I managed to obtain the full text of the bill as a PDF, as well as a memo containing an overview. Download each of these here by clicking the linked text.

I was mid-way through making this post when I noticed things were up and running again. You should be able to utilize the OLIS website again now using this link:

https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2023R1/Measures/Overview/HB2002

But just in case, those links above will take you to the PDFs, and here is your list of representatives on the health committee:

Copy, paste, & alter as needed for this to work in your mail program.

This is effectively as good a work-around as any, in the event that there are any more technical difficulties with the OLIS website. You can read the bill & the memo using the PDF links I’ve provided, and then email your representatives.

If you’d like to testify in opposition, particularly if you have any expertise to draw from (as an Oregonian, detransitioner/transition regretter, therapist, or medical provider) contact Rep Diehl directly. rep.eddiehl@oregonlegislature.gov

Some of the more horrifying points from this bill, excerpted from that memo:

• Section 1-12 – Reproductive Health Rights

Allows a minor child to consent to reproductive health care services regardless of age. Currently a minor must be 15 or older to consent to medical treatment.
Providers may not disclosure to a minor’s parent or guardian information regarding services to the minor unless the minor authorized the disclosure in writing.
Section 19-26 – Gender-Affirming Treatment
o Prohibits health insurance plans from limiting or denying coverage for gender-affirming treatment determined necessary by a health care provider and is in accordance with accepted standards of care.
o Insurers may not apply exclusions on the basis of being cosmetic treatments such as hair removal, facial reconstruction, and revisions to prior forms of gender-affirming treatment.
o Carriers must satisfy network adequacy standards to ensure access to gender-affirming treatment providers.
o Requires carriers to either contract with providers in sufficient numbers in different geographic locations or ensure enrollees have geographic access without unreasonable delay to out of network gender-affirming treatment provides with no more out of pocket costs than an in-network provider.
o Directs DLCD to perform a market analysis and report back to the legislature.
o Prohibits OHA or CCOs from limiting or denying coverage for gender-affirming treatment determined necessary by a health care provider and is in accordance with accepted standards of care.
o Requires CCOs to contract with an adequate network of gender-affirming treatment providers to ensure access to their members.
o Directs OHA to monitor CCO compliance and grant them rulemaking authority to carry out the provisions.
o Requires the Public Employees’ Benefit Board and the Oregon Educators Benefit Board to reimburse the cost of gender-affirming treatment in line with the requirements on health insurance carriers.
o NOTE: Current law allows gender-affirming treatment without consent for minors 15 years and older. That is Oregon’s current age limit for medical consent. Oregon Health Authorities current guidelines include:
▪ Age of medical consent varies by state. Oregon law – which applies to both Medicaid and non-Medicaid Oregonians – states that the age of medical consent is 15 (ORS 109.640). Physicians are not required to provide any medical service to a minor, and in most cases will encourage (and in some cases require) family engagement and supports unless it would endanger the patient.
▪ In addition, guidelines contain numerous safeguards to ensure that candidates are appropriate for surgery and medically it is safer and easier to conduct surgery earlier, before secondary sex characteristics are fully developed.
• Section 31-38 – Protections for Providers and Individuals (Malpractice insurance and licensing)
o Prohibits malpractice insurers of health care providers from penalizing a provider based on providing reproductive or gender affirming care that is lawful in Oregon but may be in violation of laws in other states.
o A licensing board may not suspend/revoke the license of a provider who has been convicted solely for providing reproductive or gender-affirming treatment that is lawful
in Oregon and performed in accordance with standards of care.
o Exempts from public records disclosure the personal information of an individual who provides reproductive and gender-affirming health services.
o Gives the Attorney General rulemaking authority to establish an application to be filed by a health care provider who performs abortions or gender-affirming treatments.
o Directs health professional regulatory boards to no disclose the information to another public entity if it relates to the provision of or referral for reproductive or gender- affirming health services.
• Section 45-46 – Health Care Facilities
o Creates the crime of interfering with a health care facility as a Class A misdemeanor.
o Regardless of a criminal prosecution, a person or facility aggrieved by the conduct may bring civil action against the person or group and recover damages.

I’ll get to work on my own written testimony now. Thanks for doing your part.

Stephanie Winn LMFT

Oregon Legislature Website Was Down. Here’s a Back-up Plan.

My Testimony Against Oregon House Bill 2002

Urgent Call to Action for Concerned Therapists

You Must Be Some Kind of Therapist

You Must Be
Some Kind of Therapist