The "Freedom to Travel for Health Care Act of 2026" establishes federal protections for individuals traveling across state lines to access or provide reproductive health care services that are legal in the destination state. It explicitly prohibits any person or government from restricting, sanctioning, or discriminating against individuals seeking such care, or those who assist them in traveling. This includes preventing retaliation against individuals or entities for another person's travel for reproductive health care. The bill also safeguards reproductive health care providers, making it unlawful to sanction or disadvantage them for offering legal services to out-of-state patients, provided the same services are legal for in-state residents. To ensure these protections, the Act declares that any state law inconsistent with its provisions is preempted and without legal effect. It defines "reproductive health care" broadly to include medical, surgical, counseling, or referral services related to pregnancy, including its prevention or termination, and other reproductive care. For enforcement, the bill grants the Attorney General the authority to initiate civil actions against violators. It also creates a private right of action , allowing adversely affected individuals, entities, or reproductive health care providers to sue in state or federal court. Courts are empowered to award various forms of relief, including damages, declaratory judgments, and injunctive relief, with prevailing plaintiffs entitled to litigation costs and attorney's fees. Furthermore, the Act explicitly abrogates state immunity , including under the Tenth and Eleventh Amendments, for any state or official violating its provisions, and allows for the removal of related state proceedings to federal court.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Freedom to Travel for Health Care Act of 2026
USA119th CongressS-4701| Senate
| Updated: 6/8/2026
The "Freedom to Travel for Health Care Act of 2026" establishes federal protections for individuals traveling across state lines to access or provide reproductive health care services that are legal in the destination state. It explicitly prohibits any person or government from restricting, sanctioning, or discriminating against individuals seeking such care, or those who assist them in traveling. This includes preventing retaliation against individuals or entities for another person's travel for reproductive health care. The bill also safeguards reproductive health care providers, making it unlawful to sanction or disadvantage them for offering legal services to out-of-state patients, provided the same services are legal for in-state residents. To ensure these protections, the Act declares that any state law inconsistent with its provisions is preempted and without legal effect. It defines "reproductive health care" broadly to include medical, surgical, counseling, or referral services related to pregnancy, including its prevention or termination, and other reproductive care. For enforcement, the bill grants the Attorney General the authority to initiate civil actions against violators. It also creates a private right of action , allowing adversely affected individuals, entities, or reproductive health care providers to sue in state or federal court. Courts are empowered to award various forms of relief, including damages, declaratory judgments, and injunctive relief, with prevailing plaintiffs entitled to litigation costs and attorney's fees. Furthermore, the Act explicitly abrogates state immunity , including under the Tenth and Eleventh Amendments, for any state or official violating its provisions, and allows for the removal of related state proceedings to federal court.