The Family Foundation Applauds Senate, Calls on House to Finally Pass Much-Needed Legislation
FRANKFORT, KY – The Family Foundation applauds Senator Donald Douglas, the bill’s sponsor, and the Senate chamber for swiftly passing Senate Bill 72, the Healthcare Heroes Recruitment and Retention Act. SB 72 passed 28-5 and now heads to the Kentucky House for consideration. This is the third straight session that the Kentucky Senate has overwhelmingly passed this critically important legislation. Now, the House must finally follow suit and enact comprehensive conscience protections for medical professionals.
In addition to protecting foundational conscience rights, SB 72 also helps address the chronic healthcare shortage the Commonwealth currently faces. Medical conscience rights protect Kentucky’s ability to retain doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals who might otherwise leave Kentucky in search of states with conscience protections. SB 72 also protects patients and improves confidence in the healthcare field by ensuring that doctors are confident to speak freely when diagnosing their patients.
Statement from David Walls, Executive Director of The Family Foundation:
“SB 72 is a commonsense bill to protect the fundamental conscience rights of doctors, nurses, and other medical practitioners and will ensure medical professionals are never forced to violate their oath to “Do No Harm.” No Kentuckian, especially our frontline healthcare workers, should be forced to choose between their faith and their profession.
“We are thankful for the leadership of Sen. Douglas and the Kentucky Senate for repeatedly passing this much-needed bill, and we call on the Kentucky House to finally pass this important bill to enact comprehensive medical conscience protections. Kentuckians deserve confidence in the healthcare system, and SB 72 protects the essential rights of conscience and free speech, so our medical professionals can serve the people of Kentucky,” Walls concluded.
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The Family Foundation is the leading Christian public policy organization in Kentucky and stands for Kentucky families and the Biblical values that make them strong. Learn more at kentuckyfamily.org.