S.B. No. 619, titled the Texas Health Care Conscience Protection Act, aims to protect health care providers from being compelled to participate in health care services that conflict with their personal beliefs or conscience. The bill establishes that health care providers have the right to decline participation in such services, with specific exceptions for emergency care and life-sustaining treatment. It introduces definitions for key terms such as "conscience," "health care service," and "health care provider," and outlines the rights and protections afforded to these individuals under the new law.

Additionally, the bill provides a civil remedy for individuals who experience adverse actions due to their refusal to participate in health care services for reasons of conscience. It allows for the filing of complaints against health care facilities or providers that violate these protections, and mandates that health care facilities develop written protocols to ensure patient access to services when a provider declines participation. The act will take effect on September 1, 2025, and requires compliance with the new regulations by December 1, 2025.

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