Commentary

The Idaho House of Representatives gave final approval to SB1385 this week in an historic rebuke to the abortion regime forced upon the states by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1973. Under the legislation, virtually all abortions in Idaho will become a criminal act upon a reversal of the Roe decision.

By a vote of 49-18 (with 3 legislators absent), the Idaho House affirmed that preborn children should be protected under the laws of the state. That follows an equally-lopsided vote by the Idaho Senate last week. SB1385 now heads to the desk of pro-Life governor Brad Little.

The significance of this legislation cannot be overstated.

After some 50 years of legalized abortion, the Idaho Legislature made it clear to the Supreme Court and the nation at large that Roe is far from “settled” … and far from just. Despite the best efforts of the Abortion Lobby, its media allies, the Supreme Court, academics and other social elites – the People of Idaho, through their duly elected representatives, categorically reject the notion that it is “okay” to destroy innocent children in the womb.

Some in the pro-Life movement have sought to impede this legislation, arguing that it doesn’t really do anything. We beg to differ.  This legislation will soon become the law in Idaho.  It unapologetically makes 98% of all abortions happening in the state today illegal, once the Supreme Court recovers its proper limits of authority by restoring to the states the power to protect preborn babies and women from the scourge of abortion.

SB1385 contains narrow exceptions to protect the life of the mother, as well as abortions in cases of rape and incest. Many pro-Lifers are opposed to the latter exceptions – and for good reason.  Babies conceived by rape are no less human, no less valuable than babies conceived in less violent circumstances.  Yet, to save those babies, it is necessary to first change the current paradigm.  We must re-establish the value of human life; and SB1385 does that.

Immediately upon Governor Little’s signature, this new law will begin instructing a new generation of Idahoans that the taking of innocent life is wrong. In fact, it is a crime.  It says to all Idahoans that the State of Idaho rejects the contention that preborn children do not matter.

SB1385 also puts additional pressure on the US Supreme Court to reverse course on abortion “rights” and return the matter to the states – as it was from the time of the Continental Congress. Idaho becomes the 10^th state to place a “trigger law” on its books – laws which make opposition to legalized abortion more than theoretical.

We wish to thank Sen. Todd Lakey and Rep. Megan Blanksma for their leadership in getting SB1385 through the Legislature – as well as the 30 other legislators who became co-sponsors of our bill to reaffirm the duty to protect the least among us.