Senate Bill 515 Summary

• Protects medical practitioners, health care institutions, and health care payers from discrimination for refusing to participate in or pay for health care services based on religious, moral, ethical, or philosophical objections to conscience.

• Defines discrimination to include termination of employment, transfer or demotion, adverse administrative action, refusal of staff privileges, reduction of wages or benefits, denial of licensure, and threats of retaliatory actions.

• Allows civil actions for damages (three times actual damages) plus attorney's fees and injunctive relief to reinstate positions, board certification, or licenses for violations of the act.

• Exempts emergency medical treatment requirements under federal law (42 U.S.C. § 1395dd) and provides protections for religious health care entities to make employment and staffing decisions consistent with their religious beliefs.

• Becomes effective October 1, 2021.