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Senate committee advances RS setting out patient rights, including informed-consent and denial-of-treatment protections
Summary
Sen. Dan Foreman presented RS31878, described as the 'Idaho Bill of Patient Medical Rights,' listing rights such as informed consent, prohibition on forced experimental drugs without written consent, and protections against denial of treatment for refusing vaccines; the committee voted to send the RS to print.
Sen. Dan Foreman presented RS31878, described in the hearing as the "Idaho Bill of Patient Medical Rights," saying it would codify patient safeguards including a right to informed consent, a prohibition on administering experimental drugs without informed written consent, and a prohibition on denying treatment for refusing a vaccine.
"This legislation establishes some seminal patient rights including a patient cannot be denied treatment for refusing a vaccine, a patient has a right to informed consent with respect to medications and medical treatments, No patient shall be administered any experimental drug without informed written consent," Foreman said. He also said the RS directly supports Idaho Code 39-9003 (the Idaho Health Freedom Act) and that the attorney general had reviewed the measure and determined it did not conflict with state or U.S. constitutional provisions as presented.
Sen. Wintrow asked whether the sponsor would restore nondiscrimination language from an earlier bill that had included age, sexual orientation and gender identity; Foreman said he would not add those categories back into the RS. After a brief discussion, Sen. Lenny moved to send RS31878 to print; Senator Ziederfeld seconded and the motion passed on a voice vote. The sponsor said he was available for questions.
The committee did not record a roll-call tally; the motion passed by voice vote. Members noted the measure codifies rights advocates had requested during the pandemic and that questions and deeper review would occur in the formal hearing.
