Senate approves end of life treatment bill

BOISE (AP) — The Senate has signed off on legislation forbidding doctors and nurses from withholding care to dying patients without the patient's consent.

The Senate voted 24-10 Monday on a measure sponsored by Republican Sen. Sheryl Nuxoll of Cottonwood.

On the Senate floor Monday, Nuxoll said the bill prohibits providers from denying life-prolonging treatments and medicines to patients — ensuring patients are getting the treatment they want.

She says physicians and nurses can currently deny end-of-life care if they've tried and failed to find another doctor willing to treat the patient. The bill has the backing of state and national pro-life groups.

But Democratic Sen. Dan Schmidt says it's difficult to see a need for the bill. Schmidt is a Moscow physician and says doctors are trained to always care for patients.