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Lawmaker tackles faith healing from another angle

For years, legislators have argued over a section of state code that allows parents to choose prayer over medicine.

The battle over Idaho's faith healing laws is starting to churn at the Statehouse.

But now, one lawmaker is taking a new angle on the battle.

In Idaho, parents are allowed by law to shield their children from medical care, even when faced with potentially life-threatening illnesses or injuries, in lieu of prayer or faith-healing.

For years lawmakers have argued over a section of code that allows that, but now Rep. John Gannon is taking a look at a new set of laws to close the faith healing exception.

Gannon is shifting the battle to a different state code - Idaho Statute 18-401.

"Children have the right to live to adulthood and the parents should seek medical attention for them," Gannon said.

That statute makes it a felony offense for a person to fail to provide necessary medical care to their spouse or children. However, the law includes an exception for parents who believe in using prayer, rather than medical intervention to heal their kids.

Spouses, however, cannot cite the same belief.

"I think the core issue here is that it's a very unfair statute that protects spouses completely and does not protect children," Gannon said.

Gannon's bill looks to simply remove the section of the law that allows parents to cite faith healing. He says that way, the law is equal.

"The way it’s worded now, it's totally discriminatory against kids," Gannon said. “It'll change the law and make it the obligation of parents to take care of the medical needs of their kids with no exceptions."

Gannon says he thinks changing the frame of the faith healing debate has the potential to finally change Idaho law. He says this legislation isn't a symbolic gesture.

"What's your goal with this bill?” asked KTVB.

“To pass it," Gannon replied.

And if it doesn't, Gannon says the debate will likely continue in future legislative session.

"You never can predict what the Legislature is going to do with certainty, I think it's going to be an issue this year, it's going to be an issue until it's resolved," he said.

This is just a proposal. No bill has been introduced yet into a legislative committee, but that could come in the weeks ahead.

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