87R1509 SCL-D
By: Oliverson H.B. No. 1424
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to a health care provider's right to object to
participation in a medical procedure that violates the provider's
ethical, moral, or religious beliefs.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. The heading to Chapter 103, Occupations Code, is
amended to read as follows:
CHAPTER 103. RIGHT TO OBJECT TO PARTICIPATION IN CERTAIN MEDICAL
PROCEDURES [ABORTION PROCEDURE]
SECTION 2. Sections 103.001 and 103.002, Occupations Code,
are amended to read as follows:
Sec. 103.001. RIGHT TO OBJECT. A physician, nurse, staff
member, or employee of a hospital or other health care facility who
objects to directly or indirectly performing or participating in an
abortion procedure or any other medical procedure on the grounds
that the procedure violates the physician's, nurse's, staff
member's, or employee's ethical, moral, or religious beliefs may
not be required to directly or indirectly perform or participate in
the procedure.
Sec. 103.002. DISCRIMINATION PROHIBITED. (a) A hospital or
health care facility may not discriminate against a physician,
nurse, staff member, or employee, or an applicant for one of those
positions, who refuses to directly or indirectly perform or
participate in:
(1) an abortion procedure; or
(2) any other medical procedure that violates the
physician's, nurse's, staff member's, employee's, or applicant's
ethical, moral, or religious beliefs.
(b) A hospital or health care facility may not discriminate
against a physician, nurse, staff member, or employee because of
the person's willingness or unwillingness to directly or indirectly
perform or participate in an abortion procedure or any other
medical procedure at another facility.
(c) An educational institution may not discriminate against
an applicant for admission or employment as a student, intern, or
resident because of the applicant's:
(1) attitude concerning abortion; or
(2) ethical, moral, or religious beliefs regarding any
other medical procedure.
SECTION 3. Chapter 103, Occupations Code, as amended by
this Act, applies only to an abortion or other medical procedure
performed on or after the effective date of this Act.
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2021.