The Senate Human Services Committee on a unanimous vote approved an amendment to Senate Bill 2297 and then recommended the amended bill for passage, 6-0.

Committee discussion focused on clarifying the order of individuals authorized to provide informed consent for incapacitated adults and minors and ensuring that parents and primary caregivers are included in the decision-making order. A committee member said the revised language clearly begins the minor section with "unless otherwise determined by a court order, a parent may make" medical decisions, which the member said was clearer than the prior draft.

Senator Clemens and Senator Rohrer discussed wording that would preserve customary medical-decision practices—such as joint decisions with biological parents or grandparents who have primary caregiving responsibility—while retaining court oversight where appropriate. One committee member observed that the amended language would allow customary joint decision-making arrangements to continue: "This is broad enough that I think we could do all of that because you really do want to involve important health decisions with biological families as much as you can," the member said.

The committee moved and seconded approval of the amendment and then moved and seconded the bill as amended. Roll call votes were unanimous on both the amendment and the final passage recommendation, recorded as 6-0.

Votes at a glance: Senate Bill 2297 — Amendment approved 6-0; amended bill recommended (do pass) 6-0.