Speaker Ler: Montana Hospitals Circumventing Parents Rights

I'm glad Speaker of the Montana House Brandon Ler (R-Savage) brought it up. I meant to bring it up and nearly forgot...we've been getting a lot of messages and calls from parents concerned that Montana hospitals are trying to circumvent parents rights.

We missed him at the GATE Show in Glendive since the legislative session is underway, but I did get a chance to catch up with Speaker Ler for a weekly legislative update. (Audio in the 2nd half of the podcast below)

He discussed several key legislative updates, including an educational freedom bill that is nearing its final hurdle. He also talked judicial reform proposals that are moving forward in the House and how the transmittal deadline for general bills is fast approaching for the 90-day session.

Some of the notable bills that stood out to me include a ban on lab-grown meat, protection for car dealerships from electric vehicle mandates, and House Bill 388, which protects pro-life pregnancy centers. Additionally, House Bill 377 safeguards parental access to their children's medical records, and other bills focus on reducing red tape, expanding health access for advanced practice nurses, and enhancing CTE education. (Note: AI software helped generate this summary of our audio conversation)

It was the discussion over HB 377 which I think many of you will find of interest right now, especially. What is HB 377 by Rep. Nelly Nicol (R-Billings)? 

Speaker Ler: "That bill there is going to protect parents rights to know what's going on in their child's medical records."

Later in the conversation...

Aaron Flint: "I've had people tell me they're like, hey, they took their daughter in for a- their teenage daughter in for a medical appointment, and these hospitals are telling them, um, yeah, we're going to be changing the way the online records go, and you the parent will not have access to your child's health records."

Speaker Ler: "Yeah, yeah, just crazy, yep."