Signed by Governor Bobby Jindal

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that provides protection for publicly employed medical professionals who refuse to provide certain health care services based on moral grounds and/or deeply held convictions.

Highlights:

-Protects any person or entity from facing civil or criminal liability, discrimination, prejudice, or any other form of punishment for refusing to provide certain health care services due to reasons of conscience (Sec. 1). -Requires that, upon request of their services, medical professionals inform the patient in writing of any services refused due to reasons of conscience protected in this act (Sec 1). -Requires medical professionals to still provide emergency care as required by state or federal law (Sec. 1). -Limits the definition of health care service, for the purposes of this act, to abortion, dispensation of abortifacient drugs, human embryonic stem cell research, human embryo cloning, euthanasia, or physician-assisted suicide (Sec. 1).

Full Bill Text