Republican lawmakers in the Montana House of Representatives approved a bill which would allow medical providers the right to deny LGBTQ people health care based on “ethical, moral, or religious beliefs or principles.”
From the Montana Free Press:
State lawmakers in the House of Representatives gave broad approval Monday to a bill that would allow medical providers, health care facilities and insurers to deny services based on “ethical, moral, or religious beliefs or principles,” signaling the bill’s likely advancement to the Senate this week.
House Bill 303, sponsored by Rep. Amy Regier, R-Kalispell, passed the Republican-majority chamber largely along party lines, with 65 votes in favor and 35 against, after roughly 20 minutes of debate.
During committee hearings in January, numerous medical organizations testified against the bill including the Montana Hospital Association, Montana Primary Care Association, Montana Nurses Association and the Montana Medical Association. Those groups expressed concern that the legislation would put patients’ care at risk.
Read the full report here.
House Bill 303 would give health providers a legal shield to decline services based on ‘ethical, moral, or religious beliefs or principles.’ #mtnews https://t.co/mkeqjbac8m
— Montana Free Press (@mtfreepress) January 30, 2023