Rating: +1

Bill Summary:
H0059 enacts the Medical Ethics Defense Act, creating a new chapter in Idaho Code (Chapter 13, Title 54) to codify and protect the right of conscience for health care providers, institutions, and payers. The bill affirms that no provider may be compelled to participate in or pay for medical procedures that violate their ethical, moral, or religious beliefs. It includes provisions for whistleblower protections, First Amendment speech protections, and civil remedies for those penalized or retaliated against for refusing to participate in procedures such as abortions, gender transitions, or assisted suicide. It explicitly bars licensing boards or state agencies from punishing providers for constitutionally protected speech unless it causes direct physical harm in a recent practitioner-patient relationship. The bill also outlines procedural safeguards for how conscience-based objections are disclosed, how employers must respond, and which legal remedies are available to providers whose rights are violated. An emergency clause makes the law effective upon passage.

Reason for Rating:
H0059 is a strong defense of individual liberty, religious freedom, and moral autonomy in health care—core pillars of the Idaho Republican Party Platform. It prevents government coercion and protects health care workers from retaliation for declining to participate in morally objectionable practices. The bill explicitly guards against bureaucratic overreach by state licensing boards and upholds constitutional free speech rights. Importantly, it does not create a new government program or entitlement, nor does it impose financial burdens on taxpayers. Instead, it reinforces personal conscience rights within a limited-government framework—making it fully consistent with Republican values in Idaho.