DALLAS (NewsNation) — A growing number of states are passing laws to protect doctors who refuse certain medical care if it goes against their religious beliefs.
These bills, commonly called medical conscience laws, can include denying treatments such as abortion, gender-affirming care and medical marijuana. They also make it tougher for a patient to be able to sue a doctor or hospital if they are denied these treatments.
Supporters of the laws say this gives doctors the freedom to stand by their beliefs, while opponents say this could deny patients life-saving care.
At least 17 states have considered versions of these laws, according to the nonprofit Guttmacher Institute.
A bill in Montana will go into effect in October. It states that a medical practitioner cannot be assigned, requested or participate directly or indirectly in an abortion unless the practitioner consents in writing.
In Florida, a new law that protects doctors and insurers from liability if they deny care based on their creed went into effect at the beginning of last month.
These types of laws have been in place for years, but now, critics say the efforts are discriminatory, particularly when it comes to social issues like abortion and gender-affirming care.
“This is going to cause individuals to have to start shopping around to go find a doctor and look for an individual who is really, truly in need at that moment, and they really need that care,” Florida State Sen. Shevrin Jones said.
However, supporters say new or updated laws are expanding the rights of doctors.
“It’s a very simple thing. The bill says if I’m a physician and I have a conscience-based objection, if I have a moral objection to something, I should be able to say no,” Florida State Sen. Jay Trumball said.
The laws in Montana and Florida do not pre-empt federal law, which requires hospitals to stabilize any patient who needs it when they are brought to the emergency room.