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Sponsor seeks to add 'health status' to state anti‑discrimination law; business and labor officials warn of administrative burden
Summary
House Bill 13‑91 would add "health status" to North Dakota’s anti‑discrimination protections, sponsor Karen Rohrer told the House Human Services Committee; supporters said the change would protect medical choice and informed consent, while the Department of Labor and Human Rights and business groups warned it could create large administrative burdens and novel legal claims for accommodations.
Representative Karen Rohrer introduced House Bill 13‑91 to amend the North Dakota Century Code to add "health status" as a protected category against discrimination in employment, housing, public services and credit.
Rohrer told the committee the change would protect individuals from adverse treatment based on medical records, medical choices or preferences, including the right to refuse a medical procedure or vaccine. "This bill is vital to ensure that people are not penalized or marginalized for making informed decisions about their health care," Rohrer said in opening testimony.
Supporters framed the bill as protecting informed consent and individual liberty. Jennifer Benson, a former pharmaceutical industry employee and…
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