AI-generated summary, reviewed by Better Utah staff.

Broad in scope, this bill formally establishes in Utah law the right of licensed health care providers — including doctors, nurses, pharmacists, dentists, physical therapists, and dozens of other licensed professionals — to refuse to provide or participate in any health care service that violates their religious beliefs or conscience, shielding them from civil, criminal, or professional liability for doing so. The services covered include abortion, contraception, gender transition care, artificial insemination, and withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment, among others. Providers who invoke this right must give advance notice to their employer or the facility where the service would occur, and must post a public notice listing the services they decline to provide along with a referral to a state-maintained directory of providers who do offer those services. The bill also prohibits employers and institutions from firing, demoting, or otherwise penalizing providers for exercising these rights — though employers may still take action if a provider's refusals cover so many services that they create an undue hardship or refuse to perform the essential duties for which they were hired. Patients seeking services like contraception, abortion, or gender-affirming care may face delays or difficulty accessing care if their provider declines on religious or conscience grounds, and while the bill requires referral information to be posted, it does not require providers to ensure a patient can actually access a refused service.