Do No Harm v. Gianforte

Why This Matters:

The plaintiff alleges that a state law requiring the Governor of Montana to maintain minority representation on a ten-person Board of Medical Examiners violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Maintaining gender, racial and ethnic diversity on professional licensing boards can lead to more equitable enforcement of licensure rules and otherwise eliminate barriers to entry for some health professionals.

Potential Impact:

Limiting policymakers’ ability to formulate policies that promote the recruitment of a diverse workforce could hamper efforts to diversify such workforce, ultimately negatively impacting patient care and public health for diverse populations.