| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to a pharmacy, pharmacist, or pharmacy technician decision |
|
|
to not dispense or sell a drug according to religious belief or |
|
|
moral conviction. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Section 551.006, Occupations Code, is amended to |
|
|
read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 551.006. PROTECTION OF RELIGIOUS BELIEFS AND MORAL |
|
|
CONVICTIONS [EXCLUSIVE AUTHORITY]. (a) The board may not reduce, |
|
|
withhold, exclude, terminate, or otherwise deny any license, |
|
|
registration, or accreditation for, any grant to, or any contract |
|
|
or agreement with a pharmacy, pharmacist, or pharmacy technician |
|
|
for not dispensing or selling a specific drug or product in |
|
|
accordance with the person's sincerely held religious belief or |
|
|
moral conviction. |
|
|
(b) The attorney general may bring an action for injunctive |
|
|
or declaratory relief against the board to enforce compliance with |
|
|
this section [Notwithstanding any other law, a pharmacist has the |
|
|
exclusive authority to determine whether or not to dispense a |
|
|
drug]. |
|
|
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
|
|
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
|
|
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
|
|
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
|
|
Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |