The "Health Care Workers Conscience Protection Act" is a newly enacted law in New Mexico that provides legal protections for health care workers who refuse to participate in abortion or abortion-related services based on their conscience, which may stem from ethical, philosophical, moral, or religious beliefs. The bill defines key terms such as "abortion," "health care worker," and "participate," and establishes that individuals cannot face criminal liability, professional sanctions, or employment disciplinary actions for their refusal to engage in such services. Additionally, health care entities and payers are prohibited from imposing penalties or adverse actions against workers for exercising their conscience-based objections.

The act also includes specific notice requirements for health care institutions, mandating that they inform their workers about the provisions of the law within a set timeframe and conspicuously post a summary of the act on their premises. Furthermore, it ensures that a health care worker's refusal to participate in abortion services cannot be reported as unprofessional conduct or lead to disciplinary investigations. The law emphasizes the importance of conscience-based decisions in health care and declares an emergency for its immediate implementation.