Welfare Committee advances House Bill 59 to expand conscience protections for health‑care workers after hours of testimony

The Idaho House Welfare Committee voted to send House Bill 59, the Medical Ethics Defense Act, to the full House with a due‑pass recommendation after more than three hours of testimony from medical professionals, legal advocates and opponents. Representative Bruce Scoggs, the bill sponsor, asked the committee to approve the expansion of conscience protections for health‑care providers and institutions.

The bill would expand existing state protections beyond abortion and end‑of‑life care to cover objections to other procedures and treatments, provide notice requirements and include enforcement mechanisms such as injunctive relief, damages and reasonable attorney fees. Representative Bruce Scoggs of District 10, the bill sponsor, described the measure as one that "protects the conscience rights of healthcare professionals and entities," and said it also "protects them from discrimination when they exercise those rights of conscience." Scoggs asked that the committee recommend the bill "go to the floor with a due pass recommendation."

Why it matters: supporters said HB 59 safeguards clinicians who object on moral, religious or ethical grounds and helps retain and recruit providers; opponents said the measure is broad enough to let nonclinical staff or insurers refuse care or information and could limit patient access, particularly in rural…