SHIELD Act

Safeguard Healthcare Industry Employees from Litigation and Distress Act or the SHIELD Act

This bill establishes a framework to limit interference with persons seeking to provide or access reproductive health services at the state level.

For the purposes of this summary, interference with persons seeking to provide or access reproductive health services includes acts to prevent, restrict, impede, or retaliate against

• a health care provider who provides reproductive health care services,
• any person or entity who helps health care providers to provide such services,
• any person who seeks to access such services, or
• any person or entity who helps another person to access such services.

First, the bill reduces the allocation of funds under certain law enforcement grant programs for a state that has in effect a law authorizing state or local officers or employees to interfere with persons seeking to provide or access reproductive health services.

Second, the bill prohibits interference with persons seeking to provide or access reproductive health care services

• by state or local officers or employees acting under color of law in any manner that would have a discriminatory effect on a woman, and
• by persons who are not state or local officers or employees and are attempting to implement or enforce a state law in circumstances affecting interstate commerce.

The bill authorizes civil remedies for a violation, including damages and injunctive relief. Additionally, it authorizes criminal penalties for a violation involving the use of a deadly or dangerous weapon or the infliction of bodily injury.