Informational hearing draws dozens of witnesses on bill to pause gene‑therapy COVID products

Sen. Brandon Shippey, sponsor of Senate Bill 10‑36, opened an informational hearing saying the bill would “ensure a moratorium on the administration by any route or modality of any gene therapy product for any infectious disease indication.” The committee took public and expert testimony for nearly three hours but did not take a vote.

The bill, introduced as the Doug Cameron Act, would pause use of products the sponsor described as gene‑therapy vaccines and require additional study and oversight before they could be used in Idaho. Shippey said the proposal came from a constituent and that he planned to continue developing the measure after receiving testimony: “This was not a brainchild of myself … a constituent of mine … is a registered nurse, and she cares very much about injured Idahoans,” Shippey said.

Why it matters: the hearing assembled clinicians, researchers, county officials and people who say they were injured after COVID‑19 vaccination. Supporters urged a pause so the state can require longer safety monitoring and manufacturer liability; opponents said a moratorium would remove tools used to respond to infectious disease and…