Senate Bill 1362 Summary

• Expands the definition of "health care entity" to include employees and students of health care institutions, professionals, and organizations.

• Prohibits discrimination against health care entities that refuse to provide, assist in, or facilitate abortion, emergency contraception, assisted suicide, euthanasia, or mercy killing.

• Provides immunity from civil, criminal, or administrative liability for health care entities declining to provide services intended to cause death as specified in the bill.

• Extends existing conscience protections to allow physicians, employees, and students to refuse participation in abortion procedures based on moral, ethical, or religious grounds without requirement to facilitate or participate.

• Permits pharmacies, hospitals, health professionals, schools, and their employees or students to refuse to provide abortion medication, emergency contraception, or devices intended to prevent implantation of a fertilized ovum based on moral, ethical, or religious objections, with requirement to return patient prescriptions.