1. United States
2. Md.
3. Letter

Recent actions by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton have raised significant concerns, as reports indicate that his office has accessed sensitive prescription records - including those related to gender-affirming treatments - through the state's Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP). This data has been used to identify and prosecute healthcare providers offering gender-affirming care to minors, even when such care is legal and medically endorsed. Furthermore, Paxton has issued subpoenas to out-of-state healthcare providers, such as Seattle Children's Hospital, demanding records of transgender youth from Texas who received care outside the state. These actions not only infringe upon patient privacy but also challenge the autonomy of states like Maryland that uphold the legality and necessity of such medical treatments. Maryland must proactively protect its residents from such extraterritorial overreach. I urge you to consider the following measures: 1. Enact Shield Laws: Implement legislation that prohibits the sharing of medical records with out-of-state entities seeking to penalize individuals for receiving legal medical care in Maryland. 2. Strengthen PDMP Protections: Ensure that data within Maryland's PDMP is safeguarded against misuse, limiting access strictly to legitimate medical and public health purposes. 3. Affirm Medical Autonomy: Publicly affirm Maryland's commitment to protecting the rights of individuals to access gender-affirming and reproductive healthcare without fear of external interference. These steps are crucial to maintaining the trust between patients and healthcare providers and to upholding the rights of Marylanders to make personal medical decisions without unwarranted intrusion.