conscience clause

noun

1. a clause or article in an act or law that exempts persons whose conscientious or religious scruples forbid their compliance.

conscience clause

noun

1. a clause in a law or contract exempting persons with moral scruples

Word History and Origins

Origin of conscience clause¹

First recorded in 1865–70

Example Sentences

The liberal Gazeta Wyborcza daily wrote Wednesday that the so-called conscience clause was being used not only by individual doctors, but even by entire health care facilities, including the one where Lalik died.

From Seattle Times

“The institution of the conscience clause, since it leads to death, must be abolished,” the paper argued.

From Seattle Times

The Biden administration plans to remove a Trump-era conscience clause that protected medical workers from participating in services like abortions and transgender sex-change treatments.

From Washington Times

The Trump administration introduced the conscience clause in 2018 to reverse an earlier 2016 HHS ruling that required health care providers to perform gender-transition services and providers, insurers and employers to cover those services in their health plans.

From Washington Times

Melissa Lauber, communications director for the Baltimore-Washington Conference, said none of the region’s 603 United Methodist churches have come forward to ask for disaffiliation under the conscience clause.

From Washington Times