Idaho Supreme Court temporarily blocked on Friday the implementation of a recently signed Texas-style bill that outlaws abortions after six weeks of pregnancy.
Last month, Idaho Governor Brad Little (R) signed a bill that prohibits abortions after six weeks of pregnancy and is set to go into effect on April 22. The new bill was modeled after the Texas “heartbeat” abortion law.
Idaho Supreme Court Chief Justice G. Richard Bevan granted a motion to reconsider in response to a petition filed by Planned Parenthood Great Northwest, Hawaii, Alaska, Indiana, and Kentucky.
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Axios reported:
The Idaho Supreme Court temporarily blocked Friday the state’s recently enacted six-week abortion ban, a local NBC affiliate reports.
Why it matters: The law, which was signed in March and set to go into effect on April 22, will not be enforced while the court considers the case. The legislation was modeled after Texas’ six-week abortion ban, which encourages private citizens to sue any health professional who has provided an abortion.
Details: Idaho’s law does make exceptions for cases of rape or incest, but a person must have reported it to law enforcement and shown a police report to the abortion provider to qualify for an exception.
- A rapist’s family members can also sue medical providers if the victim becomes pregnant.
- Planned Parenthood sued the state shortly after the bill became law.
The big picture: Planned Parenthood affiliates have urged people in Idaho to stock up on birth control and Plan B.
- The organization and its allies have also worked to help people access abortion care in other states.