HB108 Alabama 2013 Session

Updated Feb 26, 2026

High Interest

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Lynn Greer
Republican
Session: Regular Session 2013
Title: Religious Liberty Act, allow employers who are religiously affiliated or motivated to exclude health insurance coverage for contraceptive or abortifacient drugs, devices, methods to its employees
Summary: The Religious Liberty Act of 2013 lets certain religiously affiliated or small, religiously motivated employers exclude contraception and abortion-related coverage from employee health plans.
What This Bill Does
The bill allows religiously affiliated or motivated employers to avoid providing contraceptive or abortifacient drugs, devices, or methods to employees directly or through any insurance policy, and may require their insurer to issue a policy without that coverage. Employers can file a written affidavit with their insurer alleging the objection, and the insurer must issue an insurance policy that excludes coverage for these items and keep the affidavit on file. There is a medical exception: if a health care provider prescribes contraception or abortifacients for non-contraceptive medical reasons, the employee may pay upfront and then submit a claim to the insurer (who may charge an administrative fee). The bill also prohibits using this act to force disclosure of an employee’s protected health information or to violate HIPAA.

Who It Affects
Religiously affiliated or motivated employers (including churches, ministries, or small entities with 10 or fewer owners/members/partners) — they would not be required to provide contraceptive/abortifacient coverage and can obtain policies excluding that coverage.
Employees of those employers and individuals insured under those plans — their coverage for contraceptives/abortifacients may be excluded or limited, with a pathway to coverage if medically indicated and paid for up front, subject to insurer procedures and potential admin fees.

Key Provisions
Creates The Religious Liberty Act of 2013.
Allows religiously affiliated or motivated employers to exclude contraceptive or abortifacient drugs, devices, or methods from employee coverage and directs insurers to issue policies without such coverage upon an employer affidavit.
Requires an employer to file a written affidavit with its insurer; insurer must issue an exclusionary policy and retain the affidavit for policy durations and renewals.
Provides an exception for medically indicated contraceptives/abortifacients ordered by a health care provider, where employees may pay upfront and then file a claim with the insurer (insurer may charge an administrative fee).
Prohibits any provision from authorizing the extraction of an employee’s protected health information or violating HIPAA.
Effective date: immediate upon passage and approval.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.
Subjects: Health Insurance