Committee advances bill to bar nonconsensual pelvic, rectal or breast exams on unconscious patients

The committee considered Senate File 183, a bill to prohibit health professionals and trainees from performing pelvic, breast, urogenital or rectal exams on unconscious or anesthetized patients without prior informed consent.

Senator McQuade introduced the measure as a patient‑safety and consent bill and said it aligns with existing professional ethics. Molly Montague of RAIN, the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, told the committee the organization’s hotline has received reports of nonconsensual pelvic exams performed for training: "While likely uncommon, these practice exams, which are unrelated to the procedure the patient went in for, do happen without the explicit permission of the patient," she said. Montague argued that federal and professional medical ethics — including positions by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Medical Association — support explicit consent for these exams.

The bill includes two exceptions: exams necessary for diagnosis or treatment when consent cannot be obtained, and court‑ordered exams for evidence collection.

Committee action: an author's conforming amendment was adopted by voice vote and the bill was laid over for possible inclusion. Committee members and stakeholders said the change mostly codifies standard ethics and institutional policies but would create uniform statutory protection across Minnesota.

Next steps: the bill will be available for future committee or omnibus consideration.