Baton Rouge, La., Jul 12, 2009 / 03:48 am
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal has signed a law expanding conscience protections for health care workers beyond abortion.
House Bill 517, sponsored by Democratic State Rep. Bernard LeBas, allows any person to refuse to provide abortions, distribute “abortifacient drugs,” work on human embryonic stem cell research or cloning, or participate in euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide.
The drug provision is intended to include the “morning-after pill” but would not extend to regular birth control, the Times-Picayune reports.
The Jindal administration said the measure is necessary to uphold the individual rights of health care workers whose personal beliefs might conflict with their profession.