RN Idaho - May 2018

Page 10 • RN Idaho May, June, July 2018
2018 Idaho Legislature - Session Wrap Up continued from page 9
Executive
Order
Number
Executive
Order Name
ANA Idaho
& NLI
supported?
Status and Information
Cindy Galloway, RDN, LD, IBCLC
cgalloway@cdhd.idaho.gov
The newly formed Idaho Breastfeeding Coalition (2018) is a 501c3 entity and provides
breastfeeding resources to the community, including education opportunities. The
mission of the Idaho Breastfeeding Coalition (IBC) is to facilitate a community and
statewide landscape that protects, supports, and promotes breastfeeding as the biological
norm for a healthier Idaho. The Idaho Breastfeeding Coalition was proud to support the
efforts behind passage of House Bill 448, giving protections to breastfeeding mothers
from the indecent exposure statue. Breastfeeding leads to improved health for infants
and mothers who participate. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) states that
breastfeeding has been shown to decrease prevalence of ear infections, gastrointestinal
incidents, obesity, and Type 2 Diabetes in children who were breastfed (2015). There is
also a decreased incidence of breast and ovarian cancers in women who breastfeed their
children compared to women who did not breastfeed (AAP 2011).
The IBC was able to provide the first annual Idaho Breastfeeding Summit in the
summer of 2017 and is pleased to sponsor the upcoming 2nd Annual Idaho Breastfeeding
Summit, Strengthening Partnerships to Benefit Idaho Families, June 28 and 29, 2018 in
Boise, Idaho. Join lactation consultants, nurses, doctors, midwives and dietitians from
around the state at this interactive and lively conference!
To learn more about the coalition and to become a member or to donate to the
coalition, please visit: http://idahobreastfeeding.com/
For conference registration and additional information including sponsorship
opportunities please visit: http://idahobreastfeeding.com/idahobreastfeedingsummit2018/
References
American Academy of Pediatrics (2011). Benefits of breastfeeding for mom. Healthychildren.
org. Retrieved from: https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/breastfeeding/
Pages/Benefits-of-Breastfeeding-for-Mom.aspx
American Academy of Pediatrics (2015). Why breastfeed? Healthychildren.org. Retrieved
from: https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/breastfeeding/Pages/Why-
Breastfeed.aspx
Idaho Breastfeeding Coalition. (2018). Retrieved from: http://idahobreastfeeding.com/
H638
H657
S1224
S1227
S1262
S1271
Reporting
Complications
of Abortion
Battery against
Health Care
Workers
Medicaid
Expansion
Immunization
Exemption
Form
Patient
Caregiver
Support Act
Health Care
Organization
No
The
Governor
was urged
by ANA-
Idaho and
NLI to veto
H638.
Yes
Yes
Passed
House Bill 638 requires health care providers,
clinics and hospitals to report the complications of
abortions to the Department of Health and Welfare.
Patient identity is protected. The Department will
then prepare an annual report on the complications
of abortions in Idaho for the legislature and the
public. The bill includes a long list of potential
complications. Failure to report would be a
misdemeanor and would be cause for disciplinary
action against the provider’s license. This bill not
only targets providers of abortion but other health
care providers, including nurses and hospitals
whenever a complication of abortion is suspected and
not reported. The bill alters the nurse practice act to
include disciplinary license action for violation.
Held in Committee, Failed
H657 did not get a hearing. It would have amended the
current law that makes it a felony to assault a health
care worker when they are in the course of their duties.
When this law was initially passed in 2014 to protect
health care workers, prosecutors were given discretion
in applying the law to those with mental illness. Since
2014, 209 cases have been prosecuted. Many of those
cases were against individuals suffering from a mental
crisis, some being treated in a mental facility. The
consequences of applying the law to the mentally ill
include jail time and a felony conviction permanently
on their record, making future employment and housing
more difficult. The bill would continue to treat assaults
against health care workers as a felony, but exempts
patients who are seeking admission or are admitted to a
hospital or mental facility for their acute mental illness.
Patients who are intoxicated by alcohol, drugs or other
substances are not excluded from felony prosecution.
Held by Chairman, Failed
This bill would fully expand Medicaid under the
Affordable Care Act (ACA) to cover those in the
Gap between Medicaid qualification and subsidy
eligibility under the ACA. Expansion was a
component of the ACA as originally designed. Idaho
and other states sued the federal government and
won in a U.S. Supreme Court decision that allowed
states to opt out of expanding Medicaid. Under
the plan the federal government would initially
cover 90% of expansion costs but obligates states
to federal intrusion that the Idaho legislature has
resisted. The bill was held by the Chairman of the
Senate H&W Committee.
Held by Chairman, Failed
S1227 clarifies the manner that a parent may exempt
their child from Immunization by allowing any
written notice to the school. This was a contentious
issue last year where school districts required a
specific form for non-immunized students.
Failed
The Patient Caregiver Support Act is a national
initiative by AARP to require hospitals to document
a patient’s selection of a caregiver and notify them
upon the patient’s discharge or transfer. It would also
have required the live instruction of the caregiver on
post-discharge care including medication management,
injections and wound care, tasks that do not require a
licensed professional.
Passed
The definition of Health Care Organization was
broadened to include Residential Care Facilities for
the purpose of peer review privilege.