Bill > HB232

This bill establishes a comprehensive legal framework protecting healthcare providers' right to conscientiously object to participating in abortions, sterilizations, or artificial contraception based on religious, moral, or ethical convictions. The legislation defines key terms such as "conscientious objection" and broadly interprets what constitutes discrimination, which can include actions like job termination, demotion, or denial of professional opportunities. Health care institutions are required to prominently display notices informing providers of their right to decline participation in these services, and the bill provides robust civil remedies for healthcare providers who experience discrimination, including the potential to recover threefold damages with a minimum of $10,000 per violation. The law applies to a wide range of healthcare settings and professionals, from physicians and nurses to medical students and pharmacy employees, and explicitly protects their ability to refuse involvement in procedures that conflict with their personal beliefs without facing administrative, civil, or criminal liability. The bill aims to safeguard individual healthcare providers' dignity while ensuring they cannot be penalized for exercising their right of conscientious objection, with the law set to take effect on January 1, 2026.

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https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/legacy/bs2016/bill_status.aspx?lsr=0296&sy=2025&sortoption=&txtsessionyear=2025&txtbillnumber=HB232