Right of Medical Conscience of Health Care Providers and Health Care Payors

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide details on specific medical services covered under this right or how often providers and payors will use their new ability to sue.

Health Care Providers' and Payors' Right to Refuse Certain Medical Services

This bill allows health care providers or payors to sue if the Attorney General does not take action within 180 days for a violation of their right to refuse certain medical services based on conscience.

What This Bill Does

• Allows health care providers or payors to file complaints with the Attorney General about violations of their right to refuse certain medical services due to personal beliefs.
• If the Attorney General does not commence legal action within 180 days after receiving a complaint, health care providers or payors can sue for damages or other relief.
• Health care providers or payors can also use their right as a defense in court or administrative hearings.

Who It Names or Affects

• Health care providers such as doctors and nurses
• Health care payors like insurance companies

Terms To Know

Right of Medical Conscience

The right for health care workers to refuse to provide certain medical services based on personal beliefs.

Civil Action

A lawsuit filed in a court asking the judge to order someone to do something or stop doing something.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify what types of medical services are covered under this right.
• It is unclear how often health care providers and payors will use this new ability to sue.
• This bill has passed the legislature but did not become law as it died in committee.

Official Summary Text

Right of Medical Conscience of Health Care Providers and Health Care Payors; Authorizing a health care provider or health care payor to commence certain civil actions if the Attorney General does not commence a civil action within a specified timeframe for an alleged violation of the provider’s or payor’s right of medical conscience, etc.

Current Bill Text

Florida Senate
-
2026

SB 670

By
Senator Yarborough

4-00820-26 2026670__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to the right of medical conscience of
3 health care providers and health care payors; amending
4 s. 381.00321, F.S.; authorizing a health care provider
5 or health care payor to commence certain civil actions
6 if the Attorney General does not commence a civil
7 action within a specified timeframe for an alleged
8 violation of the provider’s or payor’s right of
9 medical conscience; authorizing such a provider or
10 payor to assert the alleged violation as a defense in
11 judicial or administrative proceedings; providing an
12 effective date.
13
14 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
15
16 Section 1. Subsection (4) of section 381.00321, Florida
17 Statutes, is amended to read:
18 381.00321 The right of medical conscience of health care
19 providers and health care payors.—
20 (4) ENFORCEMENT.—A health care provider or health care
21 payor may file a complaint with the Attorney General alleging
22 any violation of this section.
23
(a)
If the Attorney General determines there has been a
24 violation of this section, the Attorney General may commence a
25 civil action for damages, injunctive relief, or any other
26 appropriate relief, including attorney fees. For the purpose of
27 conducting an investigation, the Attorney General may administer
28 oaths; take depositions; make inspections when authorized by
29 law; issue subpoenas supported by affidavit; serve subpoenas and
30 other process; and compel the attendance of witnesses and the
31 production of books, papers, documents, and other evidence. The
32 Department of Legal Affairs may adopt rules to implement this
33 subsection.
34
(b)

If the Attorney General does not commence a civil

35
action within 180 days
after
the filing of the complaint
,
a

36
health care provider or health care payor may commence a civil

37
action for damages, injunctive relief, or any other appropriate

38
relief, including attorney fees, or assert a violation of this

39
section as a defense in a judicial or administrative proceeding.

40 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.