Idaho Senate Bill Would Allow Providers To Refuse Health Services Based On Beliefs

Main Category: Abortion
Also Included In: Stem Cell Research;  Sexual Health / STDs;  Women's Health / Gynecology
Article Date: 05 Feb 2010 - 4:00 PDT

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Two Idaho state senators -- Russell Fulcher (R) and Chuck Winder (R) -- have introduced a bill (SB 1270) that would legally exempt physicians, nurses and other health professionals from providing medical care or services that conflict with their religious or moral beliefs, the Idaho Statesman reports. Although the bill was prepared for a public hearing in the Senate State Affairs Committee, its sponsors are revising it to address concerns from groups representing trial lawyers, physicians and hospitals.

The bill cites a list of specific practices and procedures -- including abortion, embryonic stem cell research, embryo cloning and dispensing of abortion-inducing drugs -- that could potentially clash with a provider's values. The bill does not specify which drugs would be classified as abortifacients, though Fulcher said it is not intended to cover contraceptives. He said, "There are legal definitions and medical definitions for the same word, and they don't necessarily line up."

According to the Statesman, the Idaho Trial Lawyers Association expressed concern about the provision that would shield health workers from legal liability for their decisions. The association considers the provision an infringement on patients' rights to legal action, but Fulcher said it was meant to cover the employee-employer relationship and not patients' rights. He added that he hopes to deliver the revised bill to the committee by next week (Lamay, Idaho Statesman, 2/2).

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