Prohibited Hospital Interference with Patient Care

Memorandum of Opposition

Re: A5297-A Paulin / S6616-A May
Relates to prohibited hospital interference with patient care

The above-referenced legislation would purportedly prohibit hospital interference with patient care where the practitioner is acting in good faith and within their scope of practice. The bill is a clear violation of the rights of Catholic hospitals, and yet another attempt to disrupt the exceptional services that they provide.

The language of the bill is exceptionally broad and could serve as a way to mandate that all hospitals permit abortion on demand for any reason. It fails to provide any conscience protections for procedures. The bill would bar Catholic hospitals from disciplining providers that perform abortions, jeopardizing their mission. Like several bills before, that’s probably the point.

Catholic Hospitals provide exceptional and compassionate care to all. A state that permits abortion on demand, and funds it to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars, should not need to harass these hospitals in order to achieve their goals of abortion expansion. We urge you to reject this legislation.