State of Illinois
90th General Assembly
Legislation

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[ Introduced ][ Engrossed ][ Senate Amendment 001 ]

90_SB0160enr

      745 ILCS 70/1             from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 5301
      745 ILCS 70/2             from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 5302
      745 ILCS 70/3             from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 5303
      745 ILCS 70/4             from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 5304
      745 ILCS 70/5             from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 5305
      745 ILCS 70/6             from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 5306
      745 ILCS 70/7             from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 5307
      745 ILCS 70/8             from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 5308
      745 ILCS 70/9             from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 5309
      745 ILCS 70/10            from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 5310
      745 ILCS 70/11            from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 5311
      745 ILCS 70/11.2 new
      745 ILCS 70/11.3 new
      745 ILCS 70/11.4 new
      745 ILCS 70/12            from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 5312
      745 ILCS 70/13            from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 5313
      745 ILCS 70/14            from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 5314
          Amends the Right of Conscience Act.   Changes  the  short
      title  of the Act to the Health Care Right of Conscience Act.
      Changes defined terms "medical  care",  "medical  personnel",
      and   "medical  facility"  to  "health  care",  "health  care
      personnel", and  "health  care  facility",  respectively  and
      makes  other  changes  in  definitions,  including changes in
      definition of "physician".  Adds definition of  "health  care
      payer";  provides  that a health care payer is not civilly or
      criminally liable by reason of a refusal to  pay  or  arrange
      for  payment  of  any particular form of health care services
      that violate the payer's  conscience  as  documented  in  its
      ethical  guidelines  or other governing documents.  Prohibits
      discrimination against a health  care  payer  in  matters  of
      licensing and other privileges and prohibits denial of grants
      or  benefits  to  a  health  care  payer for similar reasons.
      Makes other changes.
                                                     LRB9001282DJcd
SB160 Enrolled                                 LRB9001282DJcd
 1        AN ACT to amend the Right of Conscience Act  by  changing
 2    and adding certain Sections.
 3        Be  it  enacted  by  the People of the State of Illinois,
 4    represented in the General Assembly:
 5        Section 5.  The Right of Conscience  Act  is  amended  by
 6    changing  Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13,
 7    and 14 and adding Sections 11.2, 11.3, and 11.4 as follows:
 8        (745 ILCS 70/1) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 5301)
 9        Sec. 1.  Short title.  This Act shall be known and may be
10    cited as the Health Care "Right of Conscience Act".
11    (Source: P.A. 80-616.)
12        (745 ILCS 70/2) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 5302)
13        Sec. 2.  Findings and policy.  The General Assembly finds
14    and declares that people  and  organizations  hold  different
15    beliefs  about  whether  certain  health  care  services  are
16    morally  acceptable.  It is the public policy of the State of
17    Illinois to respect and protect the right  of  conscience  of
18    all  persons  who refuse to obtain, receive or accept, or who
19    are engaged in, the delivery of, arrangement for, or  payment
20    of  health  care  medical  services  and medical care whether
21    acting individually,  corporately,  or  in  association  with
22    other  persons;  and to prohibit all forms of discrimination,
23    disqualification,  coercion,  disability  or  imposition   of
24    liability  upon  such  persons or entities by reason of their
25    refusing to act contrary to their conscience or conscientious
26    convictions  in  refusing  to  obtain,  receive,  accept,  or
27    deliver, pay for, or arrange for the payment of  health  care
28    medical services and medical care.
29    (Source: P.A. 80-616.)
SB160 Enrolled              -2-                LRB9001282DJcd
 1        (745 ILCS 70/3) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 5303)
 2        Sec.  3.   Definitions.   As used in this Act, unless the
 3    context clearly otherwise requires:
 4        (a)  "Health Medical care" means  any  phase  of  patient
 5    care,  including  but  not  limited  to,  testing; diagnosis;
 6    prognosis; ancillary research; instructions; family planning,
 7    counselling, referrals, or any  other  advice  in  connection
 8    with   the   use   or   procurement   of  contraceptives  and
 9    sterilization or abortion procedures; medication; or  surgery
10    or  other  care  or  treatment  rendered  by  a  physician or
11    physicians, nurses, paraprofessionals or health care  medical
12    facility,  intended  for  the physical, emotional, and mental
13    well-being of persons;
14        (b)  "Physician" means any  person  who  is  entitled  to
15    provide  medical  services  or medical care or is licensed by
16    the State of Illinois under the Medical Practice Act of  1987
17    to  practice medicine in all its branches, whether as intern,
18    resident, medical trainee, or fully licensed practitioner  of
19    medicine;
20        (c)  "Health  care  Medical  personnel"  means any nurse,
21    nurses'  aide  aid,  medical  school  student,  professional,
22    paraprofessional  or  any  other  person  who  furnishes,  or
23    assists in  the  furnishing  of,  health  care  medical  care
24    services;
25        (d)  "Health  care  Medical facility" means any public or
26    private hospital, clinic,  center,  medical  school,  medical
27    training  institution,  laboratory  or diagnostic health care
28    facility,   physician's   office,   infirmary,    dispensary,
29    ambulatory  surgical treatment center or other institution or
30    location wherein health care services  are  medical  care  is
31    provided to any person, including physician organizations and
32    associations,   networks,   joint  ventures,  and  all  other
33    combinations of those organizations; and
34        (e)  "Conscience" means a sincerely  held  set  of  moral
SB160 Enrolled              -3-                LRB9001282DJcd
 1    convictions  arising  from  belief in and relation to God, or
 2    which, though not so derived, arises obtains from a place  in
 3    the  life  of  its  possessor  parallel to that filled by God
 4    among adherents to religious faiths; and.
 5        (f)  "Health  care  payer"  means  a  health  maintenance
 6    organization,   insurance   company,   management    services
 7    organization,  or  any other entity that pays for or arranges
 8    for the payment of any health care or medical  care  service,
 9    procedure, or product.
10        The  above  definitions  include not only the traditional
11    combinations and forms of these persons and organizations but
12    also all new and emerging forms  and  combinations  of  these
13    persons and organizations.
14    (Source: P.A. 80-616.)
15        (745 ILCS 70/4) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 5304)
16        Sec.  4.  Liability.  No physician or health care medical
17    personnel shall  be  civilly  or  criminally  liable  to  any
18    person,  estate,  public or private entity or public official
19    by reason of his or her refusal to perform, assist,  counsel,
20    suggest,  recommend,  refer  or participate in any way in any
21    particular form of  health  medical  care  service  which  is
22    contrary  to  the conscience of such physician or health care
23    medical personnel.
24    (Source: P.A. 80-616.)
25        (745 ILCS 70/5) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 5305)
26        Sec. 5.  Discrimination.  It shall be  unlawful  for  any
27    person,  public or private institution, or public official to
28    discriminate against any person in any manner, including  but
29    not limited to, licensing, hiring, promotion, transfer, staff
30    appointment,  hospital,  managed  care  entity,  or any other
31    privileges, because of such person's conscientious refusal to
32    receive, obtain, accept, perform, assist,  counsel,  suggest,
SB160 Enrolled              -4-                LRB9001282DJcd
 1    recommend,  refer or participate in any way in any particular
 2    form of health care services medical care contrary to his  or
 3    her conscience.
 4    (Source: P.A. 80-616.)
 5        (745 ILCS 70/6) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 5306)
 6        Sec.  6.   Duty  of  physicians  and  other  health  care
 7    personnel.   Nothing  in  this  Act shall relieve a physician
 8    from any duty, which may  exist  under  any  laws  concerning
 9    current   standards,   of   normal   medical   practices  and
10    procedures, to inform his or her  patient  of  the  patient's
11    condition,  prognosis and risks, provided, however, that such
12    physician shall be under no duty to perform, assist, counsel,
13    suggest, recommend, refer or participate in any  way  in  any
14    form  of medical practice or health medical care service that
15    is contrary to his or her conscience.
16        Nothing in this Act shall be construed so as to relieve a
17    physician  or  other  health  care  medical  personnel   from
18    obligations  under  the  law  of  providing emergency medical
19    care.
20    (Source: P.A. 80-616.)
21        (745 ILCS 70/7) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 5307)
22        Sec. 7.  Discrimination by employers or institutions.  It
23    shall be unlawful for any public or private employer, entity,
24    agency, institution, official or person,  including  but  not
25    limited  to,  a  medical,  nursing  or other medical training
26    institution, to deny  admission  because  of,  to  place  any
27    reference  in  its  application  form  concerning,  to orally
28    question about, to impose any burdens in terms or  conditions
29    of  employment  on, or to otherwise discriminate against, any
30    applicant,  in  terms  of   employment,   admission   to   or
31    participation  in  any  programs  for  which the applicant is
32    eligible, or to discriminate  in  relation  thereto,  in  any
SB160 Enrolled              -5-                LRB9001282DJcd
 1    other  manner,  on  account  of  the  applicant's  refusal to
 2    receive,   obtain,   accept,   perform,   counsel,   suggest,
 3    recommend, refer, assist or participate in  any  way  in  any
 4    forms  of health medical care services contrary to his or her
 5    conscience.
 6    (Source: P.A. 80-616.)
 7        (745 ILCS 70/8) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 5308)
 8        Sec. 8.  Denial of aid or benefits.  It shall be unlawful
 9    for any public official,  guardian,  agency,  institution  or
10    entity to deny any form of aid, assistance or benefits, or to
11    condition  the  reception  in  any  way  of  any form of aid,
12    assistance or benefits, or in any  other  manner  to  coerce,
13    disqualify  or  discriminate  against  any  person, otherwise
14    entitled to such aid, assistance or  benefits,  because  that
15    person  refuses  to obtain, receive, accept, perform, assist,
16    counsel, suggest, recommend, refer or participate in any  way
17    in  any  form of health medical care services contrary to his
18    or her conscience.
19    (Source: P.A. 80-616.)
20        (745 ILCS 70/9) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 5309)
21        Sec.  9.   Liability.    No   person,   association,   or
22    corporation,  which  owns, operates, supervises, or manages a
23    health care medical facility shall be civilly  or  criminally
24    liable  to any person, estate, or public or private entity by
25    reason of refusal of the health care such medical facility to
26    permit or provide any particular form of health medical  care
27    service   which   violates   the   facility's  conscience  as
28    documented in  its  ethical  guidelines,  mission  statement,
29    constitution,   by-laws,   articles   of   incorporation,  or
30    regulations, or other governing documents.
31        Nothing in this act shall be construed so as to relieve a
32    physician  or  other  health  care  medical  personnel   from
SB160 Enrolled              -6-                LRB9001282DJcd
 1    obligations  under  the  law  of  providing emergency medical
 2    care.
 3    (Source: P.A. 80-616.)
 4        (745 ILCS 70/10) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 5310)
 5        Sec. 10.  Discrimination against facility.  It  shall  be
 6    unlawful  for  any  person,  public or private institution or
 7    public  official  to   discriminate   against   any   person,
 8    association  or  corporation  attempting  to  establish a new
 9    health care medical facility or operating an existing  health
10    care  medical  facility,  in  any  manner,  including but not
11    limited  to,  denial,  deprivation  or  disqualification   in
12    licensing,  granting  of  authorizations,  aids,  assistance,
13    benefits, medical staff or any other privileges, and granting
14    authorization  to  expand, improve, or create any health care
15    medical facility, by reason of the refusal  of  such  person,
16    association or corporation planning, proposing or operating a
17    health  care  medical  facility,  to  permit  or  perform any
18    particular form of health medical care service which violates
19    the health care facility's conscience as  documented  in  its
20    existing  or  proposed ethical guidelines, mission statement,
21    constitution,  by-laws,   articles   of   incorporation,   or
22    regulations, or other governing documents.
23    (Source: P.A. 80-616.)
24        (745 ILCS 70/11) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 5311)
25        Sec.  11.   Denial  of  aid or benefit to a facility.  It
26    shall  be  unlawful  for   any   public   official,   agency,
27    institution  or  entity  to deny any form of aid, assistance,
28    grants or  benefits;  or  in  any  other  manner  to  coerce,
29    disqualify or discriminate against any person, association or
30    corporation attempting to establish a new health care medical
31    facility   or  operating  an  existing  health  care  medical
32    facility which  otherwise  would  be  entitled  to  the  aid,
SB160 Enrolled              -7-                LRB9001282DJcd
 1    assistance, grant or benefit because the existing or proposed
 2    health  care  medical  facility  refuses  to perform, assist,
 3    counsel, suggest, recommend, refer or participate in any  way
 4    in  any  form of health medical care services contrary to the
 5    health  care  facility's  conscience  as  documented  in  its
 6    existing or proposed ethical guidelines,  mission  statement,
 7    constitution,   by-laws,   articles   of   incorporation,  or
 8    regulations, or other governing documents.
 9    (Source: P.A. 80-616.)
10        (745 ILCS 70/11.2 new)
11        Sec. 11.2.  Liability of health care  payer.   No  health
12    care  payer  and  no person, association, or corporation that
13    owns, operates, supervises, or manages a  health  care  payer
14    shall  be civilly or criminally liable to any person, estate,
15    or public or private entity  by  reason  of  refusal  of  the
16    health  care  payer  to pay for or arrange for the payment of
17    any particular form of health care services that violate  the
18    health  care  payer's conscience as documented in its ethical
19    guidelines, mission statement, constitution, bylaws, articles
20    of incorporation, regulations, or other governing documents.
21        (745 ILCS 70/11.3 new)
22        Sec. 11.3.  Discrimination against health care  payer  in
23    licensing.   It  shall  be unlawful for any person, public or
24    private  institution,  or  public  official  to  discriminate
25    against  any  person,   association,   or   corporation   (i)
26    attempting  to  establish  a  new  health  care payer or (ii)
27    operating an existing  health  care  payer,  in  any  manner,
28    including   but  not  limited  to,  denial,  deprivation,  or
29    disqualification in licensing;  granting  of  authorizations,
30    aids,  assistance,  benefits,  or  any  other privileges; and
31    granting authorization to  expand,  improve,  or  create  any
32    health  care  payer,  because  the  person,  association,  or
SB160 Enrolled              -8-                LRB9001282DJcd
 1    corporation  planning,  proposing, or operating a health care
 2    payer refuses to pay for or arrange for the  payment  of  any
 3    particular  form  of  health  care services that violates the
 4    health care payer's conscience as documented in the  existing
 5    or    proposed   ethical   guidelines,   mission   statement,
 6    constitution, bylaws, articles of incorporation,  regulations
 7    or other governing documents.
 8        (745 ILCS 70/11.4 new)
 9        Sec.  11.4.  Denial  of  aid  or  benefits to health care
10    payer for refusal to participate in certain health care.   It
11    shall   be   unlawful   for   any  public  official,  agency,
12    institution, or entity to deny any form of  aid,  assistance,
13    grants,  or  benefits;  or  in  any  other  manner to coerce,
14    disqualify, or discriminate against any person,  association,
15    or  corporation  attempting  to  establish  a new health care
16    payer  or  operating  an  existing  health  care  payer  that
17    otherwise would be entitled to the aid, assistance, grant, or
18    benefit because the existing or proposed  health  care  payer
19    refuses   to   pay  for,  arrange  for  the  payment  of,  or
20    participate in any way in any form of  health  care  services
21    contrary  to the health care payer's conscience as documented
22    in its  existing  or  proposed  ethical  guidelines,  mission
23    statement,  constitution,  bylaws, articles of incorporation,
24    regulations, or other governing documents.
25        (745 ILCS 70/12) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 5312)
26        Sec. 12.  Actions;  damages.   Any  person,  association,
27    corporation,  entity  or health care medical facility injured
28    by any public or private person, association, agency,  entity
29    or  corporation  by  reason  of any action prohibited by this
30    Act, as  now  or  hereafter  amended,  may  commence  a  suit
31    therefor,  and  shall  recover  threefold the actual damages,
32    including pain  and  suffering,  sustained  by  such  person,
SB160 Enrolled              -9-                LRB9001282DJcd
 1    association,  corporation,  entity  or  health  care  medical
 2    facility,  the  costs  of  the suit and reasonable attorney's
 3    fees; but in no case shall recovery be less than  $2,500  for
 4    each   violation  in  addition  to  costs  of  the  suit  and
 5    reasonable attorney's fees.  These damage remedies  shall  be
 6    cumulative,  and  not  exclusive  of  other remedies afforded
 7    under any other state or federal law.
 8    (Source: P.A. 80-616.)
 9        (745 ILCS 70/13) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 5313)
10        Sec. 13.  Liability for refusal to provide certain health
11    care.  Nothing in this Act shall be construed as excusing any
12    person, public or private  institution,  or  public  official
13    from  liability for refusal to permit or provide a particular
14    form of health medical care service if:
15        (a)  the person, public or private institution or  public
16    official  has entered into a contract specifically to provide
17    that particular form of health medical care service; or
18        (b)  the person, public or private institution or  public
19    official  has  accepted  federal  or state funds for the sole
20    purpose of, and specifically conditioned upon, permitting  or
21    providing   that  particular  form  of  health  medical  care
22    service.
23    (Source: P.A. 80-616.)
24        (745 ILCS 70/14) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 5314)
25        Sec.  14.   Supersedes  other  Acts.   This   Act   shall
26    supersede  all other Acts or parts of Acts to the extent that
27    any such prior Acts or parts of Acts  are  inconsistent  with
28    the terms or operation of this Act.
29    (Source: P.A. 80-616.)

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