2013 Mississippi Code
Title 41 - PUBLIC HEALTH
Chapter 107 - HEALTH CARE RIGHTS OF CONSCIENCE
§ 41-107-7 - Rights of Conscience of Health-Care Institutions

(1) Rights of Conscience. A health-care institution has the right not to participate, and no health-care institution shall be required to participate in a health-care service that violates its conscience. However, this subsection does not allow a health-care institution to refuse to participate in a health-care service regarding a patient because of the patient's race, color, national origin, ethnicity, sex, religion, creed or sexual orientation.

(2) Immunity from Liability. A health-care institution that declines to provide or participate in a health-care service that violates its conscience shall not be civilly, criminally or administratively liable if the institution provides a consent form to be signed by a patient before admission to the institution stating that it reserves the right to decline to provide or participate in a health-care service that violates its conscience. However, this subsection does not exempt a health-care institution from liability for refusing to participate in a health-care service regarding a patient because of the patient's race, color, national origin, ethnicity, sex, religion, creed or sexual orientation.

(3) Discrimination. It shall be unlawful for any person, public or private institution, or public official to discriminate against any health-care institution, or any person, association, corporation, or other entity attempting to establish a new health-care institution or operating an existing health-care institution, in any manner, including, but not limited to, any denial, deprivation or disqualification with respect to licensure, any aid assistance, benefit or privilege, including staff privileges, or any authorization, including authorization to create, expand, improve, acquire, or affiliate or merge with any health-care institution, because such health-care institution, or person, association, or corporation planning, proposing, or operating a health-care institution, declines to participate in a health-care service which violates the health-care institution's conscience.

(4) Denial of Aid or Benefit. It shall be unlawful for any public official, agency, institution, or entity to deny any form of aid, assistance, grants or benefits, or in any other manner to coerce, disqualify or discriminate against any person, association, corporation or other entity attempting to establish a new health-care institution or operating an existing health-care institution because the existing or proposed health-care institution declines to participate in a health-care service contrary to the health-care institution's conscience.