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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a pharmacy, pharmacist, or pharmacy technician decision |
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to not dispense or sell a drug according to religious belief or |
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moral conviction. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 551.006, Occupations Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 551.006. PROTECTION OF RELIGIOUS BELIEFS AND MORAL |
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CONVICTIONS [EXCLUSIVE AUTHORITY]. (a) The board may not reduce, |
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withhold, exclude, terminate, or otherwise deny any license, |
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registration, or accreditation for, any grant to, or any contract |
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or agreement with a pharmacy, pharmacist, or pharmacy technician |
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for not dispensing or selling a specific drug or product in |
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accordance with the person's sincerely held religious belief or |
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moral conviction. |
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(b) The attorney general may bring an action for injunctive |
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or declaratory relief against the board to enforce compliance with |
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this section [Notwithstanding any other law, a pharmacist has the |
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exclusive authority to determine whether or not to dispense a |
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drug]. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |