Sauter is the right pick for North Idaho

A vote to re-elect Mark Sauter as representative for District 1 House Seat A will support women’s health and access to healthcare services in rural Idaho. Mark is committed to representing his constituents with his voice and his votes.  

When Bonner General Health’s Labor and Delivery Services closed in 2023, he spoke on the floor of the House of Representatives regarding the impact of this closure.   

Entering the 2023 legislative session, there was a lot of confusion among physicians as it related to Idaho’s abortion laws. Rep. Sauter actively supported HB 374 which provided exceptions for ectopic or molar pregnancy, removal of a dead unborn child, treatment of a woman who is no longer pregnant and removed the affirmative defense standard physicians were held to.  

In 2024 Mark supported the reinstatement of Idaho’s Maternal Mortality Review Committee (HB 399), which reviews maternal deaths and makes recommendations to avoid them,  HB 633 extended Medicaid postpartum coverage for new moms from 60 days to 12 months, which has been found to improve maternal mortality in other states. And he actively supported insurance coverage and consumer access to six-month prescription contraception (SB 1234).   

Mark Sauter has also supported funding of Idaho-based residency training of primary care physicians. This especially impacts Idaho’s medically underserved, rural areas, like District 1.  

From the perspective of a long-time Idaho family physician, health policy advocate and educator, I strongly urge you to vote for Mark Sauter. 

WILLIAM M. WOODHOUSE, M.D.

Bonner County

Past-president, Idaho Academy of Family Physicians

Past-president, Idaho Medical Association