Bill · H.R. 8366· House(119-HR-8366)
PEARL Act
- Introduced
- 4/20/2026
- Last activity
- 4/20/2026 — Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- Sponsored by
- Tim Burchett
- Cosponsors
- None
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The PEARL Act aims to protect the religious freedom of pharmacists. It ensures that a pharmacist cannot be forced to sell or dispense mifepristone and misoprostol for abortion services if it conflicts with their sincerely held religious beliefs. This protection applies to pharmacists working in private businesses or government agencies. The bill prevents punishment such as the loss of a pharmacy license or the withdrawal of Federal funding. Additionally, it allows pharmacists to take legal action in Federal district court if these protections are violated.
Yes
Does this protect the freedom to practise a religion?+8
The bill explicitly protects pharmacists from being forced to dispense drugs that conflict with their sincerely held religious beliefs.
Does this protect the individual right to speak freely?+5
The bill protects the expression of religious autonomy through the refusal to perform specific professional acts.
The opposite
Does this make abortion easier to get?-5
The bill creates potential barriers to accessing mifepristone and misoprostol by allowing pharmacists to refuse to dispense them.
Would women be better off under this?-4
The bill may reduce the availability of abortion-inducing medication for women by protecting pharmacists' right to refuse service.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Protection of Religious Beliefs: Pharmacists will not be required to dispense or sell mifepristone and misoprostol for abortion services if it conflicts with their sincerely held religious beliefs (Section 2(a)).
-
Prevention of Professional Punishment: The bill prevents pharmacists from facing consequences like the revocation of their license to practice pharmacy or the loss of Federal funding due to their refusal to dispense these specific drugs (Section 2(a)).
-
Legal Recourse: Pharmacists have the right to bring a civil action in Federal district court for injunctive relief if they are required to dispense the drugs or are punished for refusing to do so (Section 2(b)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No specific negative impacts are mentioned in the provided text.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Religious Freedom+8
- Governance And Ideology
- Improves Freedom Of Speech+5
- Healthcare
- Improves Abortion Access-5
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Women-4
- 4/20/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- Introduced in House