UtahUtah providers may refuse some care for religious reasons
Utah law lets covered health care providers refuse some services for religious or conscience reasons, while requiring emergency care and advance notice.
What it does
A covered provider may refuse a particular service that conflicts with the provider’s religious beliefs or conscience. Emergency screening and stabilizing care are still required.
Providers must give advance notice when refusing a service. They must post and report which services they do not offer, and the state must help patients find providers who do offer them.
People may not retaliate against providers for using this right or reporting possible violations. Providers may seek state action or, if the agency does not act, bring a court case.
Argument forProviders whose beliefs conflict with a particular service may refuse it without civil, criminal, or administrative liability, while emergency screening and stabilizing care remain required.
Argument againstPatients may need to find another provider for certain services, even though the state must help them locate providers who offer those services.
More detail
A covered health care provider may refuse to provide or take part in a service that conflicts with the provider’s religious beliefs or conscience. Covered providers include licensed health workers and people employed or supervised by covered providers or health care institutions. The refusal must concern a particular service and be based on the provider’s religious beliefs or conscience. Providers must still provide emergency screening and stabilizing treatment, and other services that do not conflict with their beliefs. Providers working at a belief-based health care institution may not use this right to violate their contract with that institution.
A provider who refuses a service for religious or conscience reasons must give advance notice to the employer, the institution where the service is planned, or both, as applicable. The advance notice goes to the provider’s employer, the institution where the service is to be performed, or both, as applicable. Providers must post a notice listing the services they do not offer on their website and in each reception area where they provide care. Covered providers must tell the state which services they do not offer; the state must publish information about providers who do offer them and provide a phone number for help finding that information. Employers and institutions must schedule staff to avoid these conflicts when reasonably practicable.
People may not retaliate against providers for using the refusal right or reporting or helping investigate a possible violation. These protections cover providers who exercise the refusal right or report, share information about, or take part in proceedings about a possible violation. A provider may complain to the state about a provider or institution. If the agency does not investigate and act, the provider who complained may bring a court case. A person who wins such a case may recover reasonable legal fees and costs. A refusal alone is not evidence that the provider unlawfully discriminated based on a protected class.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Mar 25Governor Spencer Cox SignedBecame Law
- Mar 13Senate/ to GovernorTo Governor
- Mar 13Senate/ received enrolled bill from PrintingMinor
- Mar 11Senate/ enrolled bill to Printing
- Mar 11Enrolled Bill Returned to House or SenateMinor
- Mar 6Draft of Enrolled Bill Prepared
- Mar 6Bill Received from Senate for EnrollingMinor
- Mar 5Senate/ signed by President/ sent for enrollingMajor
- Vote recorded House/ passed 3rd reading. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 5Senate/ received from HouseMinor
- Mar 5House/ to Senate
- Mar 5House/ signed by Speaker/ returned to SenateMajor
- Mar 5House/ passed 3rd readingPassed House
- Mar 5House/ 3rd readingMinor
- Mar 5House/ 2nd readingMinor
- Mar 5House/ Rules to 3rd Reading Calendar
- Mar 5House/ return to Rules due to fiscal impact [House Rules Committee]
- Mar 5House/ committee report favorable [House Health and Human Services Committee]Minor
- Mar 4House Comm - Favorable Recommendation [House Health and Human Services Committee]Minor
- Mar 4House/ to standing committee [House Health and Human Services Committee]Minor
- Mar 4House/ 1st reading (Introduced)Minor
- Mar 4House/ received from SenateMinor
- Mar 2Senate/ to House
- Vote recorded Senate/ passed 3rd reading. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 2Senate/ passed 3rd readingPassed Senate
- Mar 2Senate/ uncircled
- Feb 28LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for SB0174S04
- Feb 28LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for SB0174S04
- Feb 27Senate/ circled
- Vote recorded Senate/ passed 2nd reading. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 27Senate/ 3rd readingMinor
- Feb 27Senate/ passed 2nd readingMinor
- Feb 27Senate/ substituted
- Feb 27Senate/ uncircled
- Feb 27Senate/ circled
- Feb 27Senate/ 2nd readingMinor
- Feb 25LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for SB0174S04
- Feb 25LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for SB0174S04
- Feb 23LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for SB0174S03
- Feb 23LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for SB0174S02
- Feb 22LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for SB0174S03
- Feb 20Senate/ placed on 2nd Reading Calendar
- Feb 20Senate/ comm rpt/ substituted [Senate Health and Human Services Committee]
- Feb 19Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation [Senate Health and Human Services Committee]Minor
- Feb 19LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for SB0174S03
- Feb 19LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for SB0174S03
- Feb 18LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for SB0174S02
- Feb 18LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for SB0174S01
- Feb 18LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for SB0174S01
- Feb 18Senate Comm - Motion to Recommend Failed [Senate Health and Human Services Committee]Major
- Feb 18Senate Comm - Substitute Recommendation [Senate Health and Human Services Committee]Major
- Feb 17LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for SB0174S02
- Feb 17LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for SB0174S02
- Feb 13LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for SB0174S01
- Feb 12Senate/ to standing committee [Senate Health and Human Services Committee]Minor
- Feb 12LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for SB0174S01
- Feb 11Bill Substituted by Sponsor in Senate Rules Comm [Senate Rules Committee]Major
- Feb 10LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for SB0174S01
- Feb 10LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for SB0174S01
- Jan 27Senate/ received fiscal note from Fiscal AnalystMinor
- Jan 27LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for SB0174
- Jan 25LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for SB0174
- Jan 22Senate/ 1st reading (Introduced)Minor
- Jan 22Senate/ received bill from Legislative ResearchMinor
- Jan 21LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for SB0174
- Jan 21LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for SB0174
- Jan 21Numbered Bill Publicly Distributed
- Jan 21Bill Numbered but not DistributedIntroduced
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