Freedom to Travel for Health Care Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Senator Cortez Masto, Catherine [D-NV]
Introduced
Summary
Right to travel for reproductive health care. This bill would bar state and local actions that penalize, restrict, or discriminate against people or providers who cross state lines to receive or provide reproductive care that is lawful where received.
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- People and patients: Individuals traveling to another State for reproductive health care lawful there would be protected from penalties, loss of rights, or retaliation.
- Providers and helpers: Health care providers, clinics, and organizations that assist or provide services to out-of-state patients could not be penalized for doing so and may sue on their own behalf, for staff, or for patients. Remedies include damages, injunctions, declaratory relief, and costs with reasonable attorney’s fees for prevailing plaintiffs.
- States and enforcement: The bill would preempt conflicting state laws, let the U.S. Attorney General bring civil suits to strike down limits, remove state sovereign and qualified immunity for these challenges, and allow cases to be heard in federal court without exhausting administrative remedies.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Right to travel for reproductive care
If enacted, the bill would make it unlawful for any government or person to punish or restrict travel to another State to get reproductive health care that is legal there. It would also bar penalties or discrimination against people or groups who help someone travel for that care. The bill would protect providers who treat nonresidents when the same care is legal for local patients. It defines "reproductive health care" broadly and would preempt any State law that conflicts with these travel protections.
Stronger legal protections for travel
If enacted, the Attorney General would be able to sue States or officials in federal court to stop violations of these travel protections. Individuals, providers, and entities harmed by a violation would also be able to sue in State or Federal court. Courts would be able to order damages, declaratory and injunctive relief, and award costs and reasonable attorney's fees to prevailing plaintiffs. The bill would limit plaintiffs' fee exposure in non-frivolous suits, remove some immunity defenses, and let cases go to federal court without exhausting administrative remedies.
Severability keeps other parts active
If enacted, the bill would say that if a court holds one part unconstitutional, the rest of the law would stay in effect. This would help preserve the law's other protections even if one section is struck down.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Cortez Masto, Catherine [D-NV]
NV • D
Cosponsors
Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI]
RI • D
Sponsored 6/8/2026
Sen. Murray, Patty [D-WA]
WA • D
Sponsored 6/8/2026
Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY]
NY • D
Sponsored 6/8/2026
Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA]
MA • D
Sponsored 6/8/2026
Sen. Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA]
MA • D
Sponsored 6/8/2026
Sen. Hickenlooper, John W. [D-CO]
CO • D
Sponsored 6/8/2026
Sen. Duckworth, Tammy [D-IL]
IL • D
Sponsored 6/8/2026
Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]
OR • D
Sponsored 6/8/2026
Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT]
CT • D
Sponsored 6/8/2026
Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ]
NJ • D
Sponsored 6/8/2026
Sen. Gallego, Ruben [D-AZ]
AZ • D
Sponsored 6/8/2026
Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH]
NH • D
Sponsored 6/8/2026
Sen. Smith, Tina [D-MN]
MN • D
Sponsored 6/8/2026
Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT]
VT • I
Sponsored 6/8/2026
Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE]
DE • D
Sponsored 6/8/2026
Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN]
MN • D
Sponsored 6/8/2026
Sen. Rosen, Jacky [D-NV]
NV • D
Sponsored 6/8/2026
Sen. Bennet, Michael F. [D-CO]
CO • D
Sponsored 6/8/2026
Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI]
HI • D
Sponsored 6/8/2026
Sen. Warner, Mark R. [D-VA]
VA • D
Sponsored 6/8/2026
Sen. Schiff, Adam B. [D-CA]
CA • D
Sponsored 6/8/2026
Sen. Reed, Jack [D-RI]
RI • D
Sponsored 6/8/2026
Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]
OR • D
Sponsored 6/8/2026
Sen. Cantwell, Maria [D-WA]
WA • D
Sponsored 6/8/2026
Sen. Heinrich, Martin [D-NM]
NM • D
Sponsored 6/8/2026
Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA]
CA • D
Sponsored 6/8/2026
Sen. Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI]
WI • D
Sponsored 6/8/2026
Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD]
MD • D
Sponsored 6/8/2026
Sen. Slotkin, Elissa [D-MI]
MI • D
Sponsored 6/8/2026
Sen. Luján, Ben Ray [D-NM]
NM • D
Sponsored 6/8/2026
Sen. Kaine, Tim [D-VA]
VA • D
Sponsored 6/8/2026
Sen. Murphy, Christopher [D-CT]
CT • D
Sponsored 6/8/2026
Sen. Fetterman, John [D-PA]
PA • D
Sponsored 6/8/2026
Sen. Blunt Rochester, Lisa [D-DE]
DE • D
Sponsored 6/8/2026
Sen. Alsobrooks, Angela D. [D-MD]
MD • D
Sponsored 6/8/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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