The proposed bill, known as the Medical Ethics Defense Act, establishes a framework to protect the rights of medical practitioners, healthcare institutions, and healthcare payers to refuse participation in medical procedures or services that conflict with their ethical, moral, or religious beliefs. It defines key terms such as "conscience," "discrimination," and "medical procedure or service," and outlines the rights granted to these entities, including immunity from civil, criminal, or administrative liability for exercising their right of conscience. The bill also prohibits discrimination against those who decline to participate in procedures based on their conscience and requires that healthcare practitioners must provide written consent before being assigned to perform or facilitate an abortion.

Additionally, the bill includes provisions for civil actions against violations of these rights, allowing affected parties to seek damages and injunctive relief. It mandates that licensing boards cannot penalize practitioners for protected speech unless it can be proven to have caused physical harm. The act emphasizes the importance of emergency medical treatment and includes a severability clause to ensure that if any part of the act is deemed invalid, the remaining provisions will still be enforceable. The act is set to take effect on November 1, 2025.