Legislation protecting the religious freedom of Texans, a Republican Party of Texas priority, could soon make its way through the Texas Senate.

Senate Bill 1107, filed by Republican State Sen. Lois Kolkhorst (Brenham) this week, seeks to protect the right of conscience for all healthcare professionals. The legislation “codifies clear protections and accommodations for these healthcare professionals who have conscientious objections to a procedure, etc.” by “protecting them in practicing their specialty but also giving room for the fact that they are still individuals with moral, philosophical, and conscientious beliefs.”

Furthermore, the bill, according to Kolkhorst, “protects all healthcare professionals from employment discrimination based on a sincerely held belief.”

Democrats in Texas and across the country have put religious freedom in their sights over recent years in their steady march toward the ideological left. Texans of Christian faith have been no exception to the onslaught of attempts to tar and feather people with religious beliefs, threats of violence, or expensive lawsuits.

Many Texans, Kolkhorst included, believe the healthcare profession needs statutory protections.

Her legislation to grant those protections is broad, applying not only to doctors and nurses but also healthcare professionals like pharmacists, medical assistants, hospital employees, nursing home employees, medical or nursing school students, and researchers, as well as many others who may have a conscientious objection to a procedure, treatment, training, or decision.

Those conscience protections fall squarely in the Texas GOP legislative priority of protecting religious liberty.

Indeed, the Republican Party of Texas calls on legislators to “pass legislation prohibiting the violation of the rights and freedoms of individuals, organizations and businesses, to exercise their sincerely held religious beliefs by local ordinances or state laws.”

The RPT’s explainer page further states, “The need for religious freedom and conscience protections continues to increase. … ”

Kolkhorst’s legislation addresses an increasingly common problem with a commonsense solution; hopefully the Texas Legislature listens to grassroots citizens and advances SB 1107 and other proposals to protect the rights of citizens.

Destin Sensky

Destin Sensky serves as a Capitol Correspondent for Texas Scorecard covering the Texas Legislature, working to bring Texans the honest and accurate coverage they need to hold their elected officials in Austin accountable.

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