§ 63-1-568 — Licensure, accreditation, certification not contingent

upon acceptance of abortion as treatment option. A. Nothing in the Genetic Counseling Licensure Act may be construed to require any genetic counselor or other person to mention, discuss, suggest, propose, recommend, or refer for, abortion, or to agree or indicate a willingness to do so, nor shall licensing of any genetic counselor be contingent upon acceptance of abortion as a treatment option for any genetic or other prenatal disease, anomaly, or disability. B. If the State Board of Health determines that accreditation of genetic counseling training programs by the American Board of Genetic Counseling or of medical genetics training programs by the American Board of Medical Genetics is dependent on criteria, or applied in a manner, incompatible with the provisions of subsection A of this section, it shall establish or recognize and apply criteria for accreditation of alternative genetic counseling training programs or medical genetics training programs compatible with the provisions of subsection A of this section and any genetic counseling training programs or medical genetics training programs accredited thereunder shall be deemed accredited for the purposes of paragraph 3 of subsection A of Section 4 of this act. C. If the State Board of Health determines that the examination required for certification as a genetic counselor by the American Board of Genetic Counseling or the American Board of Medical Genetics or as a medical geneticist by the American Board of Medical Genetics is incompatible with the provisions of subsection A of this section, it shall establish or recognize an alternative examination compatible with the provisions of that subsection and an individual who passes such an examination shall be deemed to meet the relevant requirements of paragraph 4 of subsection A of Section 4 of this act. D. The State Board of Health shall by rule waive such other provisions of the Genetic Counseling Licensure Act and provide for appropriate substitute requirements as it determines necessary to ensure compliance with subsection A of this section. E. There shall be no cause of action against any person for failure to mention, discuss, suggest, propose, recommend, or refer for, abortion, unless the abortion is necessary to prevent the death of the mother. F. This section shall not be severable from the Genetic Counseling Licensure Act.

Legislative History

Added by Laws 2006, c. 174, § 8, eff. Nov. 1, 2006.