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Senate committee prints bill to codify patient medical‑rights; debate over nondiscrimination language
Summary
RS31878, presented by Sen. Dan Foreman and described as the Idaho Bill of Patient Medical Rights, was sent to print. The draft codifies patient protections on informed consent and experimental drugs; one senator asked to restore nondiscrimination language for sexual orientation and gender identity, which the sponsor declined to include.
The Senate Health and Welfare Committee voted to send RS31878 — described by sponsor Sen. Dan Foreman as the Idaho Bill of Patient Medical Rights — to print for formal consideration.
Foreman said the bill would “help ensure fairness of treatment, enhance patient awareness of medical treatment options, and install patient safeguards with respect to requirements for informed consent in the use of experimental drugs.” He told the committee the draft would bar denial of treatment for refusing a vaccine, guarantee informed consent for medications and treatments, and state “No patient shall be administered any experimental drug without informed written consent.”
The sponsor said the proposal directly supports Idaho Code 39‑9003, the Idaho Health Freedom Act, and that the attorney general’s office had reviewed the draft and “a determination was made this bill does not conflict with provisions in either the state or US constitutions.” Foreman also said the attorney general could seek injunctive action against violators under Idaho Code 67‑1405(15), as described in the presentation.
Sen. Wintrow asked whether the nondiscrimination clause could explicitly restore protections for sexual orientation and gender identity that had appeared in an earlier version. Foreman replied, “No I would not,” to the request. Wintrow said she would still vote to print but expected to ask detailed questions at a hearing.
Procedure: Senator Lenny moved and Senator Zieterfeld seconded the motion to send RS31878 to print; the committee approved the motion on a voice vote.
What’s next: The bill will be printed and scheduled for a formal hearing where the statutory language, nondiscrimination provisions and AG review can be examined in detail.
