by Sapphire Community Health Board of Directors: J. William (Bill) Peters, MD; Judy Griffin, RN; Jim Morton; Dixie Stark
The Sapphire Community Health Board of Directors opposes ballot measure LR-131, standing together with the broader Montana medical community and the physicians caring for the families who will be negatively impacted. LR-131 criminalizes doctors who provide appropriate, compassionate care to families with infants born with non-life sustaining birth defects or born too early to survive. Sapphire Community Health Board of Directors strongly opposes efforts to criminalize physicians and the subsequent intrusion into the provider-patient relationship.
Katie Scholl says
LR 131 may superficially seem to be a good idea. What individual with a conscience doesn’t believe a baby born alive should be saved? After all, it’s in the name of the referendum. BUT, what you don’t see is the following:
1. There is already a law applying to providing care to infants Born alive after an attempted abortion: MCA 50-20-108. Protection of premature infants born alive.
2. This referendum interferes with parental rights to decide for the care of their infant in the case of an infant born with a terminal condition: MCA 40-6-701.Interference with fundamental parental rights restricted — cause of action.
3. Rights of the Terminally Ill MCA 50-MCA 50-9-106 Consent by others to withholding or withdrawal of treatment addresses parental which are not addressed in LR 131.
4. LR 131 appears to be attempting to imitate the well composed proposed legislation written by Americans United for Life ( https://aul.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Born-Alive-Infant-Protection-Act.docx ) except LR 131 neglects to include one profoundly important section: Section 4. Requirements and Responsibilities. c) The requirements of this Section shall not be construed to prevent an infant’s parent(s) or guardian(s) from refusing to give consent to medical treatment or surgical care which is not medically necessary or reasonable including care or treatment which: … (3) treatment that will do no more than temporarily prolong the act of dying when death is imminent.
Sadly, LR131 is an example of government over reach infringing on parental rights.
Write a better law.
hsabin says
VOTE NO ON LR-131! This law is too vague, extremist in approach, and NOT meant to help anyone. Get out and VOTE and say NO to extremism in the medical field. This is NOT intended to help but hurt.