Alaska Conscience Clause Bill Introduced to State's Senate

March 17, 2011 9:21 AM Topics: Conscience clause

A conscience clause bill (Senate Bill 14) has been introduced in the Alaska legislature and is currently being considered in the state’s senate. The bill would provide “for the protection and reasonable accommodation of a health care provider's expression of conscience pertaining to a health care service; and providing for immunity, an exception, and prohibition of discrimination for an expression of conscience by a health care provider." According to The Republic, if the bill becomes law, it would apply to physicians and pharmacists and they could refuse to offer treatment based on concerns of conscience if they notify their employer in writing. The article notes that health care providers could not refuse to treat a patient in a medical emergency if no other care is available.