Relating to the right to refuse certain medical services for reasons of conscience

This bill relates to an individual’s right to refuse medical services for reasons of conscience. The bill provides that if a medical service is declared a countermeasure under the federal Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act, or the United States food and drug administration issues an emergency use authorization for a medical service, an individual may refuse the medical service for reasons of conscience, including religious convictions. If an individual refuses a medical service, then an entity as described in the bill is prohibited from taking certain actions relating to employment, receipt of services and commerce, segregation, penalties, financial coercion, and discrimination. If an entity violates the bill, an individual negatively affected by the violation may bring a civil action against the entity for injunctive relief, declaratory judgment, and damages. The bill provides for the types of relief a court may award an individual.