Conscience Rights By State

This was updated as of January 1st, 2019.

https://www.guttmacher.org/state-policy/explore/refusing-provide-health-services#
Policies Allowing Providers to Refuse
STATE
REFUSAL
Abortion
Contraception
Sterilization
Individual Provider
Institution
Individual Provider
Pharmacist
Institution
Individual Provider
Institution
Federal Policy
X
X



X
X
Alabama
X
X





Alaska
X
Private





Arizona
 X‡
 X‡
X
X
X


Arkansas
X
X
X
X
Private
X
X
California
X
Religious





Colorado


X
*
Private


Connecticut
X






Delaware
X
X





Florida
X
X
X
*



Georgia
X
X

X

X
X
Hawaii
X
X





Idaho
X
X
X
X

X
X
Illinois
X
X
X
*
X
X
X
Indiana
X
Private





Iowa
X
Private





Kansas
X
X
*†​
* †​

X
X
Kentucky
X
X



X

Louisiana
X
X





Maine
X
X
X
*
Private
X
X
Maryland
X
X



X
X
Massachusetts
X
Private


Private
X
Private
Michigan
X
X





Minnesota
X
Private





Mississippi
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Missouri
X
X





Montana
X
Private



X
Private
Nebraska
X
X





Nevada
X
Private





New Jersey
X
Private



X
Private
New Mexico
X
X




X
New York
X
X





North Carolina
X
X





North Dakota
X
X





Ohio
X
X





Oklahoma
X
X





Oregon
X
Private





Pennsylvania
X
Private



X
Private
Rhode Island
X




X

South Carolina
X
Private





South Dakota
X
X

X



Tennessee
X
X
X
*
Private


Texas
X
Private





Utah
X
X





Virginia
X
X





Washington
X
X



X
X
West Virginia





X
X
Wisconsin
X
X



X
X
Wyoming
X
Private





STATE TOTAL
46
44
9
6
8
17
16
Note: Unless indicated, the right to refuse applies to all institutions-private, religious and public.

*   A broadly worded refusal clause may apply. In Illinois a state court held that a regulation requiring pharmacies to provide emergency contraception cannot be enforced against pharmacies that refuse to dispense the medication.
‡   In Arizona private hospitals and health facilities may restrict the information providers give to patients about lawful health care services if the institution’s objection to providing the information is based on sincerely held religious or moral beliefs.
†   The law permits refusal if the provider "reasonably believes" the drug or device "may result" in an abortion.

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