OK
Oklahoma Senate Bill SB665

Oklahoma 2025 Regular Session

Oklahoma Senate Bill SB665

Introduced
2/3/25  

Caption

Freedom of conscience; creating the Medical Ethics Defense Act; granting certain rights and protections to certain medical practitioners, healthcare institutions, or healthcare payers. Effective date.

Impact

If enacted, SB665 will significantly alter existing state laws by providing legal immunity to medical professionals who decline to perform services such as abortions that conflict with their beliefs. It will also prohibit discrimination against these practitioners on the basis of their conscience-based decisions, thereby affecting how healthcare institutions manage and employ medical staff. This legislative change could potentially lead to challenges in patient care access and issues of healthcare equity for individuals seeking services that may be refused due to moral objections.

Summary

Senate Bill 665, known as the Medical Ethics Defense Act, introduces a framework that grants certain rights and protections to medical practitioners, healthcare institutions, and payers based on their ethical, moral, or religious beliefs. The legislation aims to ensure that these entities can refuse to participate in medical procedures or services that conflict with their conscience. To this end, the bill outlines the definitions of conscience, disclosure, discrimination, and other key terms, establishing an environment where conscience-based objections can be raised without fear of retribution.

Contention

The bill has generated considerable discussion and contention regarding its potential ramifications on patient care and healthcare equity. Supporters argue that it protects the fundamental rights of healthcare providers to adhere to their ethical beliefs, while opponents express concerns that such a law could undermine patients' rights to receive full medical care. Moreover, the requirement for healthcare providers to opt-in for participating in procedures like abortion has been particularly contentious, as this could limit access to reproductive health services in the state.

Latest SB665 Activity

Companion Bills

No companion bills found.

Previously Filed As

OK SB860

Uniform Controlled Dangerous Substances Act; adding certain substance to Schedule I. Effective date.

OK SR15

Resolution; memorializing the 30th anniversary of the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building; remembering the victims; honoring the survivors; thanking the heroic first responders; and urging continued healing.

OK SB586

Oklahoma Quality Jobs Program Act; modifying definition to establish certain relationship between employer and leased or contracted employee. Effective date.

OK SB284

Specie; authorizing the payment of certain public and private debts; restricting the requirement of payment in specie. Effective date.

OK SB269

Carbon sequestration; modifying jurisdiction over certain injection wells; establishing provisions for establishment of certain CO2 sequestration facilities and storage units. Effective date.

OK SB142

School personnel compensation; modifying minimum salary schedule. Effective date. Emergency.

OK SB569

Practice of nursing; providing for independent prescriptive authority of Advanced Practice Registered Nurses who meet certain requirements. Effective date.

OK SB227

Taxation; modifying and limiting certain credits, deductions, and exemptions; modifying income tax rate for certain years. Effective date. Emergency.

Similar Bills

RI S0305

Establishes the right of a medical practitioner, healthcare institution, or healthcare payer not to participate in or pay for any medical procedure or service this violates their conscience.

AR SB444

To Amend The Medical Ethics And Diversity Act.

TN HB1044

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 63, relative to rights of conscience and free speech.

TN SB0955

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 63, relative to rights of conscience and free speech.

IA SF220

A bill for an act relating to protections for medical practitioners, health care institutions, and health care payors including those related to the exercise of conscience, whistleblower activities, and free speech, and providing penalties.

IA HSB139

A bill for an act relating to protections for medical practitioners, health care institutions, and health care payors including those related to the exercise of conscience, whistleblower activities, and free speech, and providing penalties.(See HF 571.)

IA HF571

A bill for an act relating to protections for medical practitioners, health care institutions, and health care payors including those related to the exercise of conscience, whistleblower activities, and free speech, and providing penalties. (Formerly HSB 139.)

OK HB1224

Health care; minor self-consent to health services; granting certain protections to parent or legal guardian related to medical records; effective date.