Rep. Leon Smith, R-Twin Falls, says he's been getting heat ever since the last legislative session about last year's hastily enacted "conscience" law, which is aimed at letting health care providers decline to provide abortion-related services if they violate their conscience, but also takes in "end of life care." He even heard about it at a presentation at his local Rotary Club, where the message was that living wills, advance health care directives and even doctor's orders and do-not-resuscitate orders can be overrided by the law. "I can't help thinking there was an inadvertence," in including that clause in the bill, Smith told the House Judiciary Committee today. "I don't think the crafters intended this sort of disruption in those areas."

So Smith drafted a bill adding a clause to the law citing Idaho's existing Natural Death Act, which guarantees that living wills and such orders must be complied with, and stating that the measure can't override that. The Judiciary Committee voted unanimously to introduce the bill, clearing the way for full hearings.