Health Freedom Group Urges ‘No’ Vote on HB 377 Over Concerns About Parental Rights

HELENA — A Montana parental rights bill has drawn opposition from Montanans for Health and Family Rights, who are urging lawmakers to vote against House Bill 377, citing a controversial amendment they say undermines parental access to a child’s medical records.

HB 377, sponsored by Rep. Nelly Nicol (HD-53), is scheduled for a Senate hearing on Monday, March 24, from 3:00–5:30 p.m. in Room 317. The bill was initially introduced to strengthen parental rights, but opponents argue that an amendment to Section 40-6-702(6)(d) would allow healthcare providers to withhold information from parents of minors aged 12–17 based on a subjective “reasonable belief” standard.

The new language permits providers to deny parents access to their children’s healthcare information if they have “a reasonable belief that the child has been or may be subjected to domestic violence, abuse, or neglect by the parent; or [that] giving the parent access to the child’s health information could endanger the child.”

The group called this amendment a “poison pill” and a “hostile takeover by the medical lobby” that risks codifying what they view as medical negligence. “Children cannot always be trusted to be truthful reporters of home life,” the group said in a public post. “It’s a train wreck waiting to happen.”

While the bill’s sponsor may attempt to remove the amendment in committee, Montanans for Health and Family Rights warned that similar language could be reintroduced later in the process. “Even if it came out good from the Senate,” the group said, “it then needs to go back to the House… which is where we most likely do not have the votes.”

Supporters are encouraged to submit written comments to the Senate Public Health, Welfare and Safety Committee via the Montana Legislature’s public comment portal, and to sign up for remote testimony before 1:00 p.m. on Monday.

The group expressed support for revisiting the issue in a future session. “Let’s try again next session for a better one,” they wrote.