This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2005, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
A House committee unanimously endorsed on Monday a bill that would make it more difficult for state agencies to intervene in cases involving a parent's refusal of medical treatment for a child, after amending it to guard against bad medical advice. Under Senate Bill 83, a parent's medical decision constitutes neglect only if the state can prove by "clear and convincing" evidence that the decision was unreasonable or misinformed. Before the change, a medical decision had to be deemed "reasonable and prudent." Sponsoring Sen. Dave Thomas, R-South Weber, welcomed the change, saying it guards against parents making health care decisions based on advice from people unqualified to give advice, such as "seeking heart treatments from a dentist." SB83 would allow parents to seek health care options outside mainstream medicine. It also grants immunity to medical personnel who offer advice that parents reject. The bill now heads to the full House for consideration. The proposal cleared the Senate on a 25-0 vote last week. - Kirsten Stewart
