Rights of Conscience

A summary of state laws protecting healthcare providers and institutions

 

State Statute Allows a religious employer to exempt contraception from an insurance plan Allows abstention from sterilization procedures OR artificial insemination OR family planning/ counseling on contraceptives Allows healthcare provider to decline a service OR a pharmacist to dispense a drug
AL No relevant laws      
AK No relevant laws      
AZ Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§ 20-1057.08, -826, -1402, -1404, -2329.   X    
AR Ark. Code Ann. § 20-16-304.     Yes (pharmacist)
  Ark. Code Ann. § 20-49-304.   Yes (sterilization)  
CA Cal. Health & Safety Code § 1367.25; Cal. Ins. Code § 10123.196. X    
  Cal. Prob. Code §§ 4734, 4736, 4621, 4619.     Yes (healthcare)
  Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code §§ 4314, 4315, 733.     Yes (pharmacist)
CO Colo. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§ 25-6-102 , -207.   Yes (family planning)  
  Colo. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 27-10.5-132.   Yes (sterilization)  
CT Conn. Gen. Stat. Ann. §§ 38a-503e, -530e. X    
DE Del. Code Ann. tit. 18, § 3559. X    
DC No relevant laws      
FL Fla. Stat. Ann. § 381.0051.   Yes (family planning)  
GA Ga. Code Ann. §§ 49-7-2, -6.   Yes (family planning)  
  Ga. Code Ann. § 31-20-6.   Yes (sterilization)  
  Ga. Admin. Code § 480-5-.03.     Yes (artificial insemination)  
HI Haw. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§ 431:10A-116.6, -116.7, 432:1-604.5.   X    
  Haw. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 327E-7.     Yes (healthcare)
ID Idaho Code § 39-3915.   Yes (sterilization)  
IL 745 Ill. Comp. Stat. Ann. 70/1 to 11; 745 Ill. Comp. Stat. Ann. 70/11.2 to 11.4; 745 Ill. Comp. Stat. Ann. 70/12 to 11.14.         Yes (healthcare)
IN No relevant laws      
IA No relevant laws      
KS Kan. Stat. Ann. §§ 65-446, -447.   Yes (sterilization)  
  Kan. Stat. Ann. § 65-1637.     Yes (pharmacist)
KY No relevant laws      
LA No relevant laws      
ME Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. tit. 24, § 2332-J; Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. tit. 24-A, §§ 2756, 2847-G, 4247.   X    
  Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. tit. 18-A, § 5-807.     Yes (healthcare)
  Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. tit. 22, § 1903.   Yes (family planning)  
  Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. tit. 34-B, § 7016.   Yes (sterilization)  
  Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. tit. 32, § 13795.     Yes (pharmacist)
MD Md. Code Ann., Ins. § 15-826.   X    
  Md. Code Ann., Health-Gen. § 20-214.   Yes (sterilization)  
  Md. Code Ann., Health-Gen. § 20-214.   Yes (artificial insemination)  
MA Mass. Gen. Laws Ann. ch. 175, § 47W; Mass. Gen. Laws Ann. ch. 176A, § 8W; Mass. Gen. Laws Ann. ch. 176B, § 4W; Mass. Gen. Laws Ann. ch. 176G, § 40.       X    
  Mass. Gen. Laws Ann. ch. 112, § 12I ; Mass. Gen. Laws Ann. ch. 272, § 21B.     Yes (sterilization)  
  Mass. Gen. Laws Ann. ch. 272, § 21B.   Yes (family planning)  
MI No relevant laws      
MN Minn. Stat. Ann. §§ 145.925.   Yes (family planning)  
MS S.B. 2619, Reg. Sess. (Miss. 2004); Miss. Code Ann. § 41-41-215.     Yes (healthcare)
MO Mo. Ann. Stat. § 376.1199.   X    
MT Mont. Code Ann. §§ 50-5-501, -02, -03, -04, -05.   Yes (sterilization)  
NE No relevant laws      
NV Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§ 689A.0415, .0417; §§ 689B.0376, .0377; §§ 695B.1916, .1918; §§ 695C.1694, .1695.   X    
NH No relevant laws      
NJ N.J. Stat. Ann. §§ 2A: 65A-1 to -4.   Yes (sterilization)  
  S.B. 556, 212th Leg., Reg. Sess. (N.J. 2004). X    
NM N.M. Stat. Ann. §§ 59A-22-42, -23-4, -47-33. X    
  N.M. Stat. Ann. § 24-7A-7.     Yes (healthcare)
  N.M. Stat. Ann. § 24-8-6.   X  
NY N.Y. Ins. Law §§ 3221, 4303, 4322. X    
  N.Y. Comp. Codes R. & Regs. tit 18, § 463.6.   Yes (family planning)  
NC N.C. Gen. Stat. Ann. §§ 58-3-178, 58-50-155. X    
ND No relevant laws      
OH No relevant laws      
OK No relevant laws      
OR Or. Rev. Stat. § 435.225 9.   Yes (family planning)  
PA 43 Pa. Cons. Stat. Ann. § 955.2; 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. Ann. § 3213; 16 Pa. Code §§ 51.1 - 51.61.     Yes (sterilization)  
RI R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 27-18-57, -19-48, -20-43, -41-59. X    
  R.I. Gen. Laws Ann. § 23-17-11.   Yes (sterilization)  
SC No relevant laws      
SD S.D. Codified Laws § 36-11-70.     Yes (pharmacist)
TN Tenn. Code Ann. § 68-34-104(5).   Yes (family planning)  
TX No relevant laws      
UT No relevant laws      
VT No law      
VA Va. Code Ann. § 32.1-134.   Yes (family planning)  
WA Wash. Rev. Code Ann. § 48.43.065.       Yes (healthcare)
WV W. Va. Code § 16-11-1.   Yes (sterilization)  
  W. Va. Code § 16-30-12.     Yes (healthcare)
  W. Va. Code § 16-2B-4.   Yes (family planning)  
  H.B. 3138, 2005 Leg., 79th Sess. (W. Va. 2005) (to be codified at W. Va. Code Ann. §§ 33-16E-1 to -7).   X    
WI Wis. Stat. Ann. §§ 253.09, 441.06(6), 448.03(5).     Yes (sterilization)  
  Wis. Stat. Ann. § 253.07(3)(b).   Yes (family planning)  
WY Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 42-5-101(d), -102(a)(ii).   Yes (family planning)