Idaho House OKs Stiffest Abortion Curbs in Nation
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BOISE, Ida. — The state House of Representatives voted 47 to 36 on Friday to approve a bill that would give Idaho the most restrictive abortion law in the nation.
The measure, which now goes to the Senate, would make abortions illegal in the state as a means of birth control. It would ban all abortions except in cases of incest, profound physical or mental disability of the fetus or threats to the life or the health of the mother.
The House approved amendments that sponsors said strengthened the constitutionality of the measure. One amendment would make all abortions illegal in Idaho after fetal viability, except when the life of the mother is endangered. Fetal viability, that point when a fetus can survive outside the womb, is usually reached after 20 to 23 weeks of pregnancy.
The National Right to Life Committee, which helped draft the bill, hopes it will become the test case that could force the U.S. Supreme Court to reverse Roe vs. Wade. Supporters believe it would halt up to 93% of abortions in Idaho.
Opponents argue that the measure is broadly unconstitutional and will cost the state up to $1 million to defend in court.
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