43 P.S. § 955.2 Abortion and Sterilization; Immunity From Requirement to Perform; Unlawful Discriminatory Practices

• Library: Pennsylvania Statutes
• Edition: 2023
• Currency: Current through P.A. Acts 2023-27
• Year: 2023
• Citation: 43 P.S. § 955.2

(a) No hospital or other health care facility shall be required to, or held liable for refusal to, perform or permit the performance of abortion or sterilization contrary to its stated ethical policy. No physician, nurse, staff member or employe of a hospital or other health care facility, who shall state in writing to such hospital or health care facility an objection to performing, participating in, or cooperating in, abortion or sterilization on moral, religious or professional grounds, shall be required to, or held liable for refusal to, perform, participate in, or cooperate in such abortion or sterilization.

(b) It shall be an unlawful discriminatory practice:

(1) For any person to impose penalties or take disciplinary action against, or to deny or limit public funds, licenses, certifications, degrees, or other approvals or documents of qualification to, any hospital or other health care facility, refusal of such hospital or health care facility to perform or permit to be performed, participate in, or cooperate in, abortion or sterilization by reason of objection thereto on moral, religious or professional grounds, or because of any statement or other manifestation of attitude by such hospital or health care facility with respect to abortion or sterilization.

(2) For any person to impose penalties or take disciplinary action against, or to deny or limit public funds, licenses, certifications, degrees, or other approvals or documents of qualification to any physician, nurse or staff member or employe of any hospital or health care facility, due to the willingness or refusal of such physician, nurse or staff member or employe to perform or participate in abortion or sterilization by reason of objection thereto on moral, religious or professional grounds, or because of any statement or other manifestation of attitude by such physician, nurse or staff member or employe with respect to abortion or sterilization.