A new Florida law allows healthcare workers to exercise “conscience-based objections” based on sincerely held religious, moral, or ethical beliefs.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) signed the Physicians Freedom of Speech bill, Senate Bill 1580, on Thursday in addition to three other pieces of legislation the governor’s office sayswill provide “permanent protections for Floridians from the ‘Biomedical Security State.”‘
SB 1580 allows health care providers and health care payors to have the right to opt out of participation or payment for certain health care services on the basis of conscience-based objections. The bill defines conscience-based objections with respect to “governing documents; any published ethical, moral, or religious guidelines or directives; mission statements; constitutions; articles of incorporation; bylaws; policies; or regulations.”
