Court to decide whether PA's gag rule on physicians talking about fracking chemicals is legal
http://scholarship.shu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1496&context=student_scholarship
Our illustrious Gov and repub controlled legislature pushed through Act 13, to benefit the fracking industry. Parts were already overturned, such as requiring local governments to allow fracking and gas industry facilities in almost all locations, including highly residential areas.
Another part of the bill is about to be decided by the PA. Commonwealth Court. The State Supreme Ct. refused to stop the challenge, despite the valiant efforts of the frackers. This law says that the types of fracking chemicals that are used in nearby facilities can be revealed to a Medical Doctor if that Doctor has reason to believe his patient may have been sickened by gas facilities. However, then there is a gag rule on that MD that he can never reveal anything about the chemicals to anyone else.
This same challenge was rejected by a federal judge recently. This type of gag rule is in place in many states (such as N. Carolina) through the work of ALEC.
The link includes a very good analysis of the matter by a law student.