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Prompted by reports of federal immigration agents bringing aggressive and sloppy energy to health care settings, a bill establishing standards for how Oregon hospitals interact with law enforcement is headed to the governor’s desk.
The so-called Healthcare Without Fear Act (Senate Bill 1570) is defined by a central limitation: The Oregon Legislature can’t tell the feds what to do. Thus, it tells hospitals and federally qualified health centers what to do instead.
Many already have guidelines governing their dealings with law enforcement, but in some cases—namely at Legacy Emanuel Medical Center, according to the Oregon Nurses Association—hospital leaders were not adequately applying them. (Legacy denies this.)
The bill’s backers say the idea is to establish clear and enforceable standards.
“When rules are respected, outcomes are better, and when humanity is centered, trust can be restored,” Rep. Dacia Grayber (D-Southwest Portland) told colleagues at a recent hearing. “This legislation protects patients and it protects caregivers.”
Among other things, the bill would require hospitals to designate areas that are not open to the public, and to designate an administrator to respond when law enforcement shows up (Oregon Health & Science University Police are exempted).
It would also restrict the disclosure of certain immigration-related patient information, and prohibit hospitals from disciplining employees for distributing educational materials about legal services and immigrant rights.
The Hospital Association of Oregon had opposed the bill, but said it became neutral after amendments that gave hospitals more flexibility on implementation.
