CO HB1255

HB 25-1255: Medical Ethics Defense Act

• Health-care professionals, institutions, and payers may refuse to participate in or pay for any medical procedure, treatment, or service that violates their ethical, moral, or religious conscience

• Providers exercising conscience rights are protected from discrimination, retaliation, and civil, criminal, or administrative liability; health-care payers cannot refuse payment for services already contractually obligated

• State licensing boards are prohibited from denying, revoking, or threatening licenses based on a provider's constitutionally protected speech, unless clear and convincing evidence shows the speech directly caused physical harm to a patient within three years

• Religious health-care providers that publicly identify as religious and have internal religious operating procedures may make employment, staffing, and administrative decisions consistent with their religious beliefs

• Aggrieved parties may bring civil actions for violations and recover injunctive relief, monetary damages, and attorney fees; regulatory entities must notify providers within 21 days of speech-based complaints or pay $500 per day in penalties