House lawmakers signed off on their latest version of a so-called “medical freedom” bill Wednesday night.
After Gov. Brad Little vetoed the original proposal on Saturday, House Republicans tweaked it to allow schools to keep sick kids home.
House Bill 472 would still ban private businesses and government entities from refusing service to anyone who doesn’t treat their diseases. It would also apply to their employees.
“One of the reasons why I’m even here is because of what happened during COVID,” said Rep. Steve Tanner (R-Nampa).
During the pandemic, Tanner said he worked for a company that told him twice he needed to be fully vaccinated despite being a remote employee.
“Not only were my civil rights violated … but the company had no way to resist the power of the federal government,” he said.
“[Tanner] left a tyrannical state like myself and many others where we were chased out of stores because we didn’t have a mask properly tight around our nose,” said Rep. Clint Hostetler (R-Twin Falls), who recently moved to Idaho from California.
By not passing this bill, Hostetler said the same policies could follow them to Idaho.
Opponents have repeatedly argued the proposal would strip businesses of their own rights in deference to an individual’s “medical freedom.”
Rep. Rob Beiswenger (R-Horseshoe Bend), who sponsors the bill, doesn’t see it that way.
“The bill doesn’t address it directly, but I believe a business would be within their rights to ask someone to leave if they are sick,” Beiswenger said.
But Rep. Ben Fuhriman (R-Shelley) said that’s not what the bill states.
“We can talk about intent all day long, but when the lawsuits come and the business has to answer to that, it’s right there [in the law].”
The bill now goes to the Senate, which is considering a competing bill from Sen. Dan Foreman (R-Moscow) that would exempt daycares – not public or private schools – from the restrictions.
Foreman, who sponsored the vetoed bill, said he negotiated the changes with the governor’s staff earlier this week to the chagrin of the bill’s author, Leslie Manookian.
Manookian, an anti-vaccine advocate from Ketchum, testified against Foreman’s update Wednesday morning because she believes daycares shouldn’t be able to skirt the legislation.
At a midday health freedom forum at the capitol, she said she felt “unbelievable shock at the betrayals” but didn’t specifically name anyone.
“[The governor’s office wants] to put our children on the chopping block in exchange for our freedom. This is disgusting. It’s diabolical,” Manookian said
“It’s not a good bill and I will not attach my name to something that sacrifices children for your freedom, [Sen. Foreman].”
It’s unclear which, if either, of the new proposals will make it to the governor’s desk.
House Speaker Mike Moyle (R-Star) said Wednesday night that there wasn’t an agreement in place with the Senate for either bill.
Copyright 2025 Boise State Public Radio
