On Friday morning, the Idaho Senate State Affairs Committee voted to introduce a revised conscience protection bill, SB 1353, sponsored by Sen. Chuck Winder and nine other members of the Idaho Legislature. It provides for “Freedom of Conscience for Health Care Professionals” working here, in six critical areas of health care.

The new bill clarifies some key language and creates an exception for life-threatening emergencies, a change requested by the Idaho Hospital Association.

While there were many Abortion Lobby representatives in the room, things went pretty smoothly at the print hearing. That is likely to change when the bill comes up for formal consideration – hopefully late next week. Probably the biggest battle will come over giving pharmacists and other health care professionals the right to object to dispensing so-called “Emergency Contraception”.

We did get an early signal that opposition to the bill will be led by Democrat Leader Kate Kelly. She made quite a point at the hearing of having her opposition to even considering the bill recorded in committee minutes. It seems that the only “choice” Sen. Kelly will tolerate is one which conforms to her worldview.