Health care; granting certain rights and protections to health care institutions and payors; prohibiting certain discrimination and adverse actions. Effective date.

SB 959 protects healthcare institutions (like hospitals and clinics) and payors (like insurers) from discrimination or penalties if they refuse to provide services based on religious or moral beliefs. It prohibits actions such as job termination, denial of licenses, or loss of contracts for such refusals, while requiring emergency care under federal law. Religious entities can make hiring and admission decisions aligned with their beliefs, but state-run facilities are excluded from these protections. The bill failed committee review in March 2025 and did not become law.