HB 375 Summary

• Allows health care providers to refuse to perform or participate in health care services that violate their religious, moral, or ethical principles if they have provided written advance notice of their objections.

• Provides immunity from civil, criminal, or administrative liability for refusal to participate in conscience-violating services, except when failure to act would immediately endanger a patient's life.

• Declares it unlawful for employers, health care institutions, boards, and public officials to discriminate against health care providers based on declining to participate in services that violate their conscience.

• Courts may award injunctive relief, reinstatement to prior job position, back pay, and costs of action for violations of the act; burden or expense on other providers cannot be used as a defense.

• Does not apply to abortion clinics licensed by the State Board of Health and does not modify existing Alabama law regarding health care provider duties.