HB 5516 — AN ACT CONCERNING REPRODUCTIVE AND GENDER-AFFIRMING HEALTH CARE SERVICES.

House of Representatives General Assembly RaisedFile Bill No.

5516542 February Session, 2026 LCOSubstitute House Bill No.

27405516 ReferredHouse toof Representatives, April 9, 2026 The Committee on PUBLICPublic HEALTHHealth Introducedreported by:through REP.

(PH)MCCARTHY ANVAHEY ACTof CONCERNINGthe REPRODUCTIVE133rd RIGHTS.Dist., Chairperson of the Committee on the part of the House, that the substitute bill ought to pass.

AN ACT CONCERNING REPRODUCTIVE AND GENDER-AFFIRMING HEALTH CARE SERVICES.

(NEW) (Effective July 1, 2026) As used in this section and sectionssection 2 and 3 of this act:

LCOsHB5516 / File No.

2740542 1 ofsHB5516 4File Raised Bill No.

5516542 (4) "Medically accurate and appropriate information and counseling" means information and counseling that is (A) supported by the weight of current scientific evidence, (B) derived from research using accepted scientific methods, (C) consistent with generally recognized scientific theory, (D) published in peer-reviewed journals, as appropriate, and (E) recognized as accurate, complete, objective and in accordance with the accepted standard of care by professional organizations and agencies with expertise in the relevant field;

(b) Nothing in subsection (a) of this section shall be construed to prohibit a health care entity that employs a health care provider from LCO(1) performing relevant peer review of the health care provider, (2) sHB5516 / File No.

2740542 2 ofsHB5516 4File RaisedNo. Bill No.5516 (1) performing relevant peer review of the health care provider, (2) requiring the health care provider to provide the full range of information to patients about available, legal options for care, as determined by the health care entity, including, but not limited to, vaccinations, or (3) requiring such health care provider to:

542 requiring the health care provider to provide the full range of information to patients about available, legal options for care, as determined by the health care entity, including, but not limited to, vaccinations, or (3) requiring such health care provider to:

(c) A health care entity shall not discharge, demote, suspend, disciplineortakeanyother adverse actionactionagainstahealthcareprovider againstahealthcareprovider solely because the health care provider has provided information or counseling as described in subsection (a) of this section.

The provisions of this sectionsubsection shall not apply to a health care provider who fails to comply with the instruction of a health care entity to provide patients with the full range of information about available, legal options for care, as determined by the health care entity, including, but not limited to, vaccinations.

2 July 1, 2026 New section StatementPH ofJoint Purpose:Favorable Subst.

TosHB5516 prohibit/ adverseFile actionsNo. against health care providers for providing certain health care services.

LCO542 3 sHB5516 File No.

2740542 3The offollowing 4Fiscal RaisedImpact Statement and Bill No.Analysis are prepared for the benefit of the members of the General Assembly, solely for purposes of information, summarization and explanation and do not represent the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber thereof for any purpose.

5516In [Proposedgeneral, deletionsfiscal impacts are enclosedbased inupon brackets.a variety of informational sources, including the analyst’s professional knowledge.

ProposedWhenever additionsapplicable, areagency indicateddata byis underline,consulted exceptas thatpart whenof the entireanalysis, texthowever offinal aproducts billdo ornot resolutionnecessarily orreflect aan sectionassessment offrom aany billspecific ordepartment. resolution is new, it is not underlined.] LCO No.

2740OFA 4Fiscal ofNote 4State Impact:

None Municipal Impact:

None Explanation The bill prohibits health care entities, under certain conditions, from limiting a health care provider’s ability to give patients comprehensive information and counseling about reproductive or gender-affirming health care services, resulting in no fiscal impact to the state or municipalities.

sHB5516 / File No.

542 4 sHB5516 File No.

542 OLR Bill Analysis sHB 5516 AN ACT CONCERNING REPRODUCTIVE AND GENDER- AFFIRMING HEALTH CARE SERVICES.

SUMMARY This bill generally prohibits health care entities from:

1.

limiting their health care providers’ ability to give patients comprehensive, medically accurate and appropriate information and counseling about reproductive or gender-affirming health care services, or about related community resources, or 2.

taking adverse action against their providers (such as firing or demoting them) solely for giving this information or counseling.

For these prohibitions to apply, the providers must be acting (1) in good faith;

(2) within their professional scope of practice, education, training, and experience (including their specialty and board certification);

and (3) within the accepted standard of care.

Under the bill, health care entities may still perform relevant peer reviews of their health care providers or require them to:

1.

give patients the full range of information on available legal options for care as the entity determines, including vaccinations (and the entity can fire or discipline the provider for failing to comply with instructions to give this information);

2.

comply with preferred provider network or utilization review requirements for insurance purposes;

or 3.

meet established health care quality and patient safety guidelines or rules.