Bills › 91st General Assembly
Relating to the right to refuse certain medical services for reasons of conscience
Sponsored by Sen. Kevin Alons (R)
Where it is now
- Done: IntroducedFebruary 3, 2025
- Done: SubcommitteeFebruary 4, 2025
- Done: Senate committeeMarch 5, 2025
- Done: Passes the SenateMarch 26, 202532–15
- Done: House committeeApril 2, 2025
- Stopped: Passes the HouseDied when the General Assembly ended
- Next: To the Governor
- Next: Signed into law
Died when the session ended The 2026 session adjourned on May 3, 2026, the General Assembly’s last regular session. Bills that didn’t pass both chambers died. What’s a funnel?
What’s in it
AI summary People can refuse certain medical services for religious or personal reasons if those services are authorized during a federal emergency. Organizations cannot punish people, such as by firing them or denying them services, for making this choice. If a person is treated unfairly for refusing, they can sue the organization in court.1
Read the official explanation
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.
House subcommittee
Named March 28, 2025. On April 2, 2025 it recommended passage.
Three legislators hear a bill first and recommend what the committee should do; it’s the best time to weigh in. How to take part
50 written public comments to its subcommittee: April 2, 2025 (10), April 1, 2025 (23), February 11, 2025 (17) · on the Legislature’s site