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Idaho's abortion ban will go into effect in 30 days

A procedure room at Planned Parenthood in Meridian, one of Idaho's few abortion clinics. Planned Parenthood has filed suit to challenge Idaho's trigger ban.
Darin Oswald
/
Idaho Statesman/Tribune News Service via Getty Images
A procedure room at Planned Parenthood in Meridian, one of Idaho's few abortion clinics. Planned Parenthood has filed suit to challenge Idaho's trigger ban.

Almost all abortions will be outlawed in Idaho beginning August 25, after the U.S. Supreme Court issued its final judgment in the case that overturned Roe v. Wade on Tuesday.

Gov. Brad Little's office confirmed the implementation date, barring a stay from the Idaho Supreme Court.

The U.S. Supreme Court released its 6-3 decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization a month ago, making abortion illegal in at least a dozen states.

But Idaho's trigger law, adopted in 2020, takes effect 30 days after the final judgment, not the opinion, is published.

Now that the final judgment is up, the countdown to the implementation of Idaho's trigger law begins.

The law only allows for abortions in cases of rape, incest or if the mother's life is at risk. The law also makes it a felony for a health care provider to perform an abortion.

Planned Parenthood Great Northwest, Hawaii, Alaska, Indiana, Kentucky, which has two clinics in Idaho, is suing the state to block the trigger law from going into effect.

The organization says the law violates the Idaho Constitution, including because it discriminates against women under the equal protection clause, it violates the right to privacy and because the exception to perform abortions if the life of the mother is threatened is vague.

Planned Parenthood also sued to block a Texas-style abortion ban passed this year. Both those cases will be heard by the Idaho Supreme Court next week.

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I cover environmental issues, outdoor recreation and local news for Boise State Public Radio. Beyond reporting, I contribute to the station’s digital strategy efforts and enjoy thinking about how our work can best reach and serve our audience. The best part of my job is that I get to learn something new almost every day.

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