SF 220: Relating to protections for medical practitioners, health care institutions, and health care payors including those related to the exercise of conscience, whistleblower activities, and free speech, and providing penalties

What it does

This bill relates to protections for medical practitioners (practitioner), health care institutions (institution), and health care payors (payor), involving exercise of conscience, whistleblower activities, and free speech. The bill provides definitions for “conscience”, “discrimination”, “health care institution”, “health care payor”, “health care services”, “medical practitioner”, and “participate in a health care service”. The bill provides that a practitioner, institution, or payor has the right not to participate in or pay for a health care service (service) that violates the practitioner’s, institution’s, or payor’s conscience.

Senate subcommittee · named January 15, 2026

• Sen. Jeff Taylor (R) · jeff.taylor@legis.iowa.gov
• Sen. Matt Blake (D) · matt.blake@legis.iowa.gov
• Sen. Jesse Green (R) · jesse.green@legis.iowa.gov

Lobbying · 12 for, 27 against

For: 1st Amendment Partnership; ADF Action; Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance; Do No Harm Action; Iowa Baptists For Biblical Values; Iowa Catholic Conference; Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition; Iowans for Freedom; Pulse Life Advocates; The Family Leader; The Family Leader Foundation; VALOR Iowa

Against: AFSCME Council 61; American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa (ACLU-IA); American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists; Bitches Get Stuff Done; Episcopal Diocese of Iowa; Family Planning Council of Iowa; Iowa Affiliate of the American College of Nurse-Midwives; Iowa Association of Area Agencies on Aging; Iowa Association of Rural Health Clinics; Iowa Atheists and Freethinkers; Iowa Chapter of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners; Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence; and 15 more

In plain words

1. February 5, 2025Filed in the Senate and sent to the Judiciary committee
2. February 6, 2025Senate subcommittee named: Taylor, Blake and Green
3. February 12, 2025Subcommittee recommended passing it
4. February 26, 2025Approved by the Senate committee
5. June 16, 2025Sent to the Senate Judiciary committee
6. January 15, 2026Senate subcommittee named: Taylor, Blake and Green