{"abstract":"The United States has a long history of providing protections in health care for individuals and entities on the basis of religious beliefs or moral convictions. Congress has passed many such laws applicable to the Department of Health and Human Services (\"HHS\" or the \"Department\") and the programs or activities it funds or administers, some of which are the subject of existing HHS regulations. This final rule revises existing regulations to ensure vigorous enforcement of Federal conscience and anti-discrimination laws applicable to the Department, its programs, and recipients of HHS funds, and to delegate overall enforcement and compliance responsibility to the Department's Office for Civil Rights (\"OCR\"). In addition, this final rule clarifies OCR's authority to initiate compliance reviews, conduct investigations, supervise and coordinate compliance by the Department and its components, and use enforcement tools otherwise available in existing regulations to address violations and resolve complaints. In order to ensure that recipients of Federal financial assistance and other Department funds comply with their legal obligations, this final rule requires certain recipients to maintain records; cooperate with OCR's investigations, reviews, or other proceedings; and submit written assurances and certifications of compliance to the Department. The final rule also encourages the recipients of HHS funds to provide notice to individuals and entities about their right to be free from coercion or discrimination on account of religious beliefs or moral convictions.","action":"Final rule.","agencies":[{"raw_name":"DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","name":"Health and Human Services Department","id":221,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/health-and-human-services-department","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/221","parent_id":null,"slug":"health-and-human-services-department"},{"raw_name":"Office of the Secretary"}],"body_html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/html/2019/05/21/2019-09667.html","cfr_references":[{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":88,"title":45}],"citation":"84 FR 23170","comment_url":null,"comments_close_on":null,"correction_of":null,"corrections":["https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/documents/C1-2019-09667"],"dates":"This rule is effective July 22, 2019.","disposition_notes":null,"docket_ids":[],"dockets":[],"document_number":"2019-09667","effective_on":"2019-07-22","end_page":23272,"executive_order_notes":null,"executive_order_number":null,"explanation":null,"full_text_xml_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/xml/2019/05/21/2019-09667.xml","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/05/21/2019-09667/protecting-statutory-conscience-rights-in-health-care-delegations-of-authority","images":{},"images_metadata":{},"json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/documents/2019-09667?publication_date=2019-05-21","mods_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/metadata/granule/FR-2019-05-21/2019-09667/mods.xml","not_received_for_publication":null,"page_length":103,"page_views":{"count":31066,"last_updated":"2026-04-04 16:15:04 -0400"},"pdf_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019-05-21/pdf/2019-09667.pdf","presidential_document_number":null,"proclamation_number":null,"public_inspection_pdf_url":"https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2019-09667.pdf?1558356318","publication_date":"2019-05-21","raw_text_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/text/2019/05/21/2019-09667.txt","regulation_id_number_info":{"0945-AA10":{"issue":"201904","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/regulations/0945-AA10/protecting-statutory-conscience-rights-in-health-care-delegations-of-authority","title":"Protecting Statutory Conscience Rights in Health Care; Delegations of Authority","xml_url":"http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eAgendaViewRule?pubId=201904&RIN=0945-AA10&operation=OPERATION_EXPORT_XML","priority_category":"Economically Significant"}},"regulation_id_numbers":["0945-AA10"],"regulations_dot_gov_info":{"supporting_documents":[],"comments_count":0,"agency_id":"HHS","comments_url":"https://www.regulations.gov/docketBrowser?rpp=50&so=DESC&sb=postedDate&po=0&dct=PS&D=HHS-OS-2022-0008","supporting_documents_count":0,"docket_id":"HHS-OS-2022-0008","document_id":"HHS-OS-2022-0008-0553","regulation_id_number":null,"title":"HHS 2022 Archive","checked_regulationsdotgov_at":"2022-05-28T03:30:05Z"},"regulations_dot_gov_url":null,"significant":true,"signing_date":null,"start_page":23170,"subtype":null,"title":"Protecting Statutory Conscience Rights in Health Care; Delegations of Authority","toc_doc":"Protecting Statutory Conscience Rights in Health Care; Delegations of Authority","toc_subject":null,"topics":["Adult education","Advance care planning","Assisted suicide","Assisted suicide","Authority delegations (Government agencies)","Civil rights","Civil rights","Colleges and universities","Community facilities","Educational facilities","Employment","Family planning","Family planning","Government contracts","Government contracts","Government employees","Grant programs-health","Grants administration","Health care","Health facilities","Health insurance","Health professions","Health professions","Hospitals","Immunization","Indians","Insurance","Insurance companies","Intergovernmental relations","Laboratories","Manpower training programs","Manpower training programs","Maternal and child health","Maternal and child health","Medicaid","Medical and dental schools","Medical and dental schools","Medical research","Medicare","Mental health programs","Nursing homes","Occupational safety and health","Prescription drugs","Public assistance programs","Public health","Religious discrimination","Religious discrimination","Reporting and recordkeeping requirements","Scholarships and fellowships","Schools","Scientists","State and local governments","Students","Technical assistance"],"type":"Rule","volume":84}