Commentary

Governor Butch Otter signed SB 1243 into law today. This legislation adds to the existing Informed Consent Law by requiring information be delivered to women about the possibility of reversing a chemical abortion.

A chemical abortion, using the drug regimen commonly known as RU-486, involves taking two pills. The first kills the baby by depriving it of oxygen and nutrition.  Several days after the first pill, the woman is instructed to take the second drug, which induces labor.  The dead baby is then expelled.

The APR protocol has been proven effective at saving the baby’s life if the woman is treated soon after taking the first pill. Hormones are used to overpower the effects of the first pill.  This is essentially the process used to help women at high risk of miscarriage.

SB 1243 was brought forward by Right to Life and sponsored in the Senate by Meridian’s Lori Den Hartog. The House sponsor was Rep. Gayann DeMordaunt.  We publicly thank these strong women for their leadership and hard work on this bill.

All Democrats opposed the legislation as it moved through the Statehouse. And that is a rather strange thing for a political party which preaches the mantra of “choice” and “women’s rights”.  Why would they not support legislation which lets a woman know there is a choice available if she changes her mind once the chemical abortion procedure begins?

If you’d like to know more about the APR protocol, follow this link.

And here is a link to the story on LifeNews.com.

And thank you, Governor Otter for signing this legislation.

The Idaho Senate gave final approval to ICL’s Reporting bill (HB 638) last Wednesday afternoon. This landmark bill will create – for the first time – a comprehensive reporting system on the physical and emotional after-shocks of abortion.  The bill requires every doctor, counselor or hospital that treats a woman for post-abortion complications to report that fact to the Department of Health & Welfare.  The Department is then required to compile and publish an annual report.

Based upon model legislation developed by Americans United for Life, HB 638 will give Idaho policy makers – for the first time – an accurate understanding of what women go through after they choose abortion. It is rather shocking to realize that, some 45 years into the Roe v. Wade era – virtually everything we think we know about abortion and its impact on women comes from the abortion industry. Not exactly an unbiased source.

Photo: Following Approval of HB 638 by Senate State Affairs Committee earlier this week.
From L-R: Julie Lynde, ICL Ex Director David Ripley, Rep. Greg Chaney, Karey Uhlenkott, Sen. Fred Martin

The Senate floor debate was hot and heavy. Sadly, a number of normally pro-Life legislators voted against the bill.  Senate sponsor Fred Martin (R-Boise) valiantly weathered some 3 hours of questions and debate over the legislation.  We are grateful for his courage and leadership in defending a great piece of legislation.

Emmett’s Steven Thayn raised concerns about the burden on doctors and the fact that paperwork is helping to drive up health care costs. He claimed that he might like to support the legislation, but that HB 638 “went too far”.  By that, he meant that the reporting requirements in the bill do not have a time limit.  He was one of eight Republican senators who sided with Planned Parenthood by voting ‘no’.  It was a heartbreaking moment.

Apparently Senator Thayn is willing to learn a little about the health risks of abortion – but not too much. Unfortunately for women, many of the health risks associated with abortion don’t materialize for years.  The research linking abortion to breast cancer, for example, shows us that breast cancer may take many years to develop.  And even more mid-term problems can take several years: An overwhelming body of scientific research suggests that an abortion history can complicate future pregnancies.  Why would we not want that hard data?  Don’t women deserve to know both the short and long term risks they assume when accept the seductive promises of Planned Parenthood?

Thankfully, there were heroes during the floor fight over this legislation as well: Sen. Chuck Winder, Sen. Jim Rice, Sen. Dan Foreman, Sen. Mary Souza and Sen. Marv Hagedorn. They rose to help Sen. Martin, and to support the bill with a clear vision of why it will be such a critical step forward for Idaho’s women and the fight for Life.

For years we have fought to establish an Informed Consent procedure in Idaho. We have fought to create a booklet that women are given before an abortion; we have established a waiting period.  This springs from the State’s primary duty to protect the health and safety of its citizens.  But the glaring problem is that we know so little about the real world risks of abortion.  So much of the debate is politically charged.  The State has a clear duty to find out the health care risks associated with abortion  – especially now that we are one of only two states allowing “remote control” abortions via the internet.

Please join us in thanking those legislators who supported this vitally important bill. And please take a moment to ask Governor Otter to sign this legislation.  You can leave him a message by phoning 208-334-2100.

The Idaho House voted 55-11 to approve SB 1243 yesterday, giving final approval to legislation which would help women find out that there is a way to reverse a chemical abortion – if she moves quickly.

The legislation, proposed by Right to Life, would add a provision to Idaho’s Informed Consent law. It directs the Department of Health & Welfare to include information about the Abortion Pill Reversal protocol in materials given to women considering an abortion.  There has been some success in protecting preborn children from the effects of RU-486 if a woman has not yet taken the second drug.

In fact, a young mother testified before both the Senate and House committees about her own experience with APR. After taking the first pill, she immediately experienced regret and searched for help.  She was given hormonal treatments and was able to save the life of her baby boy.  This extraordinary young mother brought her beautiful son – Zachariah – to the hearings.  He is now a healthy, happy five-years-old blessing to the world.

But, despite the living evidence of the APR protocol being effective, Abortion Industry lobbyists from Planned Parenthood and the ACLU decried the legislation as “fake science”.  And all of their Democrat clients in the Statehouse obediently voted against SB1243.

SB 1243, sponsored by Sen. Lori Den Hartog and Rep. Gayann DeMordaunt, is now headed to the Governor for final approval.  We need to being praying that Governor Otter signs the legislation into law.  Women must have access to this information.

A landmark piece of legislation is now pending before the Senate State Affairs Committee. HB 638 will, for the first time, create an Idaho-based system for reporting complications resulting from abortion.

We began developing this legislation in response to a federal court order demanding that Idaho allow Planned Parenthood to perform tele-med abortions. For about the last year and a half, Idaho has been one of only two states in the nation allowing women to undergo a chemical abortion without the benefit of an in-person examination by a physician.  Idaho Chooses Life felt the urgent need to get a system in place to keep track of the potential consequences to women and girls.

Supposedly the FDA is keeping track of adverse events associated with RU-486 – but that federal agency has not released data since 2011. Idaho women and policy makers can’t wait until the FDA’s corrupt politics is uprooted by President Trump.

As we have dug deeper into the issue, it has become clear that this piece of legislation has an importance well beyond chemical abortions and the tele-med procedure. It is rather stunning to realize that such a reporting system is long overdue.  Some 45 years into the Roe era, we know precious little about the short and long-term effects of abortion on a woman’s health.  Virtually all of the public health data now available comes from the Abortion Industry.

It is time that Idaho policy makers and Idaho women get a comprehensive, unbiased look at the health risks associated with abortion.

The Idaho House has already approved HB638. A hearing on the bill began on Friday morning in the Senate State Affairs Committee, and will resume on Monday morning.

HB 638 is sponsored by Rep. Greg Chaney (R-Caldwell) and Sen. Fred Martin (R-Boise).

In a stunning development, the Idaho House Health & Welfare Committee approved legislation to provide Planned Parenthood of Idaho with a windfall of some $29 million in new public funding.

HB 563, sponsored by Democrat Leader Matt Erpelding, was approved on an 8-3 vote, with Rep. John Vander Woude missing from the Committee.

There were just 3 Republicans who opposed the legislation: Reps. Karey Hanks, Mike Kingsley and Bryan Zollinger.

That means a majority of Republicans backed the measure – which stated purpose is to provide additional “family planning” monies to low-income women. Voting for the measure:

• Chairman Fred Wood (R- Burley)
• Vice Chairman Kelley Packer (R-McCammon)
• Rep. Christy Perry (R-Nampa)
• Rep. Eric Redman (R-Athol)
• Rep. Megan Blanksma (R-Hammett)
• Rep. Jarom Wagoner (R-Caldwell)

We urge pro-Lifers from around the state to immediately contact their House members to urge a resounding defeat of HB563.

This is the same committee which has failed to give us a hearing on HB 572, legislation to end taxpayer funding of Planned Parenthood.

Fox News is reporting the arrest of a 17 year old Texas girl following discovery of her dead baby in a neighbor’s shed.

Everyone seems so excited. We must wonder what is so special about this little child?  Was he wrapped with some special instructions declaring that he would be the one to cure cancer or build a cold-fusion reactor?  The news stories don’t go into detail.  But there must be something special, because the police are charging the girl with capital murder and bail was set at a whopping $800,000.00.

If it wasn’t the uniqueness of the baby, then perhaps authorities are worked up about how the young mother ended her baby’s life. She didn’t go to her local Planned Parenthood abortuary.  That is clearly bad. Instead, she thought she could save a few bucks.  Maybe they should let her go with a fine, payable to Planned Parenthood and call it good.

We’re guessing that, as much as the Judge might like that approach, the fact that the mother stabbed her baby nine times after giving birth creates a real public relations problem for the court. And then the baby was found in the neighbor’s shed by the neighbor’s 13 –year-old son.  That sort of public trauma has to be addressed somehow in order that good folks can sleep at night, safe in the knowledge that civilization is secure.

But civilization is surely not secure. That teenage mother is understandably confused about just what the rules are.  Every single day in America – for some 45 years – about four thousand such innocents are put down.  Quietly.  Ever so quietly … and privately.  Of course, Miss Gomez violated those rules.  Her baby’s grisly death has become very public.  And Americans now have to wrestle with the image of a little innocent, taking her first breaths, being stabbed to death. Then discarded like so much hazardous waste.  So, now, someone has to pay.

It breaks one’s heart that the United States of America could tolerate such a hypocritical, dark double-standard for more than four decades.

Here’s a link to the story.

Idaho Planned Parenthood joined with several other abortion organizations to file a lawsuit against the Trump Administration for cutting them off of federal funds under a program known as “Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program”. This scandalous and evil program was apparently created by Congress to study how we can reduce the teen pregnancy rate.

Even more absurd: The federal government under Obama awarded some $220 million to outfits like Planned Parenthood. This is the organization which seeks to sexualize children in grade school, producing pamphlets and classes on how children can participate in virtually every sexual perversion known to mankind.  (See LifeNews article: Trump Admin Cuts Planned Parenthood Funding).

Could even the federal government be so stupid as to not see the connection between sexualizing children and rising teenage pregnancy rates? All of this moral and social chaos funded by our tax dollars.  It is just unbelievable that Planned Parenthood would then receive grant money to “study” the crisis they’ve helped create.  How many ways can one express dumb-founded outrage?

Thankfully, while the GOP Congress continues to diddle around with defunding, President Trump brings a refreshing common sense approach to the problems Congress and Planned Parenthood are making for our families and society. He ended the TPP Program, and is shifting the money toward more responsible programs.  Reading various stories about the move – it seems as if the Trump HHS is actually looking to give funding to pro-Life pregnancy centers.  Most of them have abstinence programs.

Needless to say, Planned Parenthood is deeply offended. They want their money back! Idaho Planned Parenthood is among those who have seen their funding cut by Trump.  So, once again, they turn to a radical federal judiciary to re-affirm their “constitutional right” to our tax money, used to ruin the lives of our children and grandchildren.  One has to believe that the odds of winning this lawsuit are in Planned Parenthood’s favor.

Which brings us back to the deficiencies of our present Congress. In the second year of President Trump’s term – the GOP majority has yet to find the will or means to end funding of Planned Parenthood.  And now they are about to reap the whirlwind: The money Congress has given to Planned Parenthood is about to show up in congressional campaigns across the country, as Planned Parenthood and its allies seek to restore that crazy Nancy Pelosi to the Speakership.  One would think that self-preservation would be enough to motivate a recalcitrant Congress into action.  But, alas ….

SB1243 passed the Idaho Senate this past week by an overwhelming margin. All Republicans members voted in favor of legislation to make sure women and girls learn that a chemical abortion can be reversed in certain circumstances.  The bill was developed by Right to Life and the lead Senate sponsor is Sen. Lori Den Hartog (R-Meridian)

Planned Parenthood and their media allies have attacked the legislation as being fanciful and even misleading – despite the fact that hundreds of babies have been born after the mother has swallowed the first of the RU-486 abortion pills. One of those miracles was present during the Senate committee hearing on the bill.  This important legislation is now awaiting hearing in the House State Affairs Committee.

We also saw the advance of our legislation to create a comprehensive reporting system on abortion complications. HB571, sponsored by Rep. Greg Chaney (R-Caldwell), was approved by the House State Affairs on Friday morning.

It is rather stunning to realize that, some 45 years into the Roe era, we actually know so little about the health and safety risks associated with abortion. The Abortion Industry has largely been in control of everything we think we know about abortion.  Since 1977, abortionists have been required to file reports with the State when they perform abortions.  But reports on follow-up problems – like bleeding, incomplete abortions, infections – are not tracked by anyone.

That has allowed the Abortion Industry to make claims about abortion safety for four decades without fear of challenge.

The FDA has a program to track complications from chemical abortions, but that is also voluntary. This is part of the public relations effort the FDA put in place when they legalized RU-486 back in 2000.  Making matters worse – the FDA has not published a report on complications since 2011.  We need an Idaho system.

Now that Idaho has been forced to accept tele-med abortions, it is imperative that we have a comprehensive system to track complications arising from this experiment with women’s health.

We ask you for your prayers. And please take a moment to contact your legislator urging passage of these two important bills.

Taking advantage of the school holiday on Monday, Planned Parenthood is planning a big lobbying effort to stop pro-Life legislation from advancing at the Statehouse. Sadly, high school kids will be prominent among their minions.

Top of their list: HB 572, which would redirect family planning funds to public agencies. This is one of the tax-paid revenue streams Planned Parenthood uses to transform our culture and corrupt our children.  That legislation, sponsored by Rep. Tom Loertscher and Sen. Todd Lakey, is now awaiting a hearing in the House Health & Welfare Committee – chaired by Rep. Fred Wood (R-Burley).

We are also hearing that Planned Parenthood is waging an aggressive phone campaign to stop SB 1243, sponsored by Sen. Lori Den Hartog. This simple, straight-forward bill would require the State to include the Abortion Pill Reversal protocol in the state’s Informed Consent materials.  They are obviously very scared about this information getting out to women and girls.  They know better than most that a significant number of women and girls taking the Abortion Pill (RU-486) experience immediate regret and remorse.

Their fierce opposition to the APR bill provides insight into the heart of this organization: At all costs, we cannot suffer those babies to live. We cannot tolerate women learning the truth, or learning of their actual options.

Our other legislation – HB 571, sponsored by Rep. Greg Chaney and Sen. Fred Martin – was just introduced last week. But we predict that they will become equally agitated over this bill – even though it has virtually nothing to do with Planned Parenthood.  This legislation would create, for the first time, a comprehensive system of reporting on the complications and problems women suffer in the wake of an abortion.  HB 571 would require ever doctor and hospital to file a report with the Idaho Department of Health & Welfare when they encounter a woman or girl seeking treatment for an abortion complication.

Imagine a database on abortion that is not created, controlled or manipulated by Planned Parenthood!

Please take a moment to pray for our efforts. And phone your legislator.  The local number is 208.332.1000.  Outstate citizens can leave a message for their legislator by using the toll-free number: 800.626.0471.

Legislation (SB1243) to expand Idaho’s Informed Consent Law had a formal hearing before the Senate State Affairs Committee on Monday morning. The Abortion Lobby showed up in force to urge the measure’s defeat.  One would have thought that Sen. Lori Den Hartog and the Pro-Life Lobby was about to repeal Roe v. Wade.

Instead, the modest legislation would require the State of Idaho to include information about the possibility that women and girls might be able to reverse the effects of RU-486 if they move quickly enough. It would become part of the State’s Informed Consent booklet, which the Abortion Industry must provide to each woman during the 24-hour waiting period.

But somehow this proposal to inform girls about their options is “anti-woman” and an “abuse of government power”. This may strike more casual followers of the abortion debate as rather strange and illogical.  But it is part and parcel of the battle.

Planned Parenthood and their fellow-travelers have opposed every single piece of legislation related to informed consent for twenty years. They do not want women to know that there are options.  They do not want women to know that there are risks.  They do not want women to get the phone numbers of adoption agencies or pro-Life centers which can help them deal with a difficult pregnancy.  Yet, somehow, the media continues to refer to them as the “pro-choice” crowd, the “pro-woman” movement.

The truth is, there is no more paternalistic and condescending crowd than the Abortion Lobby.

Monday’s show was stolen, however, by a remarkable young mother named Rebecca. She told committee members of her own experience with the Abortion Pill Reversal process.  At the age of 19, she became pregnant for the second time while in an abusive relationship.  She turned to Planned Parenthood because she was convinced that her only option was ending the baby’s life by using RU-486.  After taking the first pill in the Planned Parenthood office, she left with the second pill in a bag.  She began crying as she sat in her car, suddenly panicked over what she had done.  She began searching the internet on her phone, desperately seeking any advice or information about whether she could do anything to stop the abortion.  And she ran across a website telling her that there were doctors who had developed a protocol for overcoming the effects of the first pill if a mother moved quickly enough.

Rebecca found a doctor to help. And she experienced the miracle of motherhood again.  In fact, she brought her son Zechariah to the hearing – who spent most of the three hours sleeping in his mother’s arms.  He is a beautiful 3 or 4 year old boy.

Yet the Abortion Lobby was not to be deterred. Despite the fact that living, breathing evidence sat in the front row of the hearing room – speaker after speaker told committee members that there was no science to back up the APR protocol, that it was not possible to reverse a chemical abortion once it had begun.  It was just astounding to see the triumph of ideology over fact for so many followers of Planned Parenthood.  They have some powerful Kool-Aid over on that side of the room, apparently.

SB 1243 was approved by the Senate committee on a party-line vote and is now pending on the Senate floor.

We commend Sen. Lori Den Hartog and Right to Life of Idaho for bringing the legislation, which we strongly support.

We also want to give thanks for the courage displayed by Rebecca.  May the Lord watch over her and bless her children.

Please take a moment to call or email your legislators about this important bill. Hopefully this proposal will lead to more miracle stories in the years to come.