Some Michiganders who use health and fitness tracking apps could see more protection of their data under a bill heading for the Michigan House of Representatives.
The legislation would prevent collecting or selling reproductive health data without gaining specific consent first.
The Reproductive Health Data Privacy Act would also stop entities from sharing that information with the government unless required by law or asked to by the person whose data it is.
State Senator Mallory McMorrow (D-Royal Oak) said the use of health and fitness trackers has become common.
“I think that a lot of the perception is that, because this is medical data, my voluntarily entering it into a service that is supposed to provide me with a service in return, means that my data is protected. And far too often that is not the case,” McMorrow said during a speech from the Senate floor.
Other language in the bill would prevent the use of location data to gain information around someone looking for reproductive health care.
The bill passed the Senate this week along party lines.
Republicans shared concerns that it could potentially step on the free speech rights of advertisers.
Senator John Damoose (R-Harbor Springs) said he was behind the original concept of the legislation. “But it turns out that the real heart of this bill is to stop advertising by pro-life groups or people who are — to people who may be seeking an abortion,” Damoose said.
McMorrow dismissed those free speech concerns, arguing personal health information should be private.
Under the bill, a violation of the act would result in a $750 fine.
