The Idaho State Senate approved SB1082 on a 23-12 vote Monday morning. The vote puts the legislation well on its way to becoming law.

During debate, the bill sponsor, Sen. Russ Fulcher, argued that it was more than ironic that our teenage daughters needed our permission to get an aspirin from the school nurse – but we wouldn’t even be informed after an abortion as things now stand.

The only Democrat to support the measure was Sen. Diane Bilyeu of Pocatello. Sen. Edgar Malepeai, also from the Pocatello area, supported the measure in committee, but switched his vote on the floor. He said during debate that he was just troubled by how the legislation would affect girls coming from dysfunctional homes.

There were some other pleasant surprises. A number of freshmen cast votes on their first pro-Life legislation: Jim Hammond of Post Falls; Lee Heinrich of Cascade; Steven Bair of Blackfooot and Jeff Siddoway of Terreton.

Sen. John Goedde of Coeur d’Alene, who usually doesn’t support pro-Life legislation, cast a vote in support of the bill.

Probably the most disappointing vote came from John Andreason of Boise’s District 15. Without comment, he voted against the bill. Sen. Andreason has voted at least three times for Parental Consent legislation during his 7 terms in the Senate. But he bailed out on principle yesterday, voting against legislation which is considerably weaker than those previous versions.

The measure now heads to the House State Affairs Committee.

Here is how the full Senate voted:

02/26 SB1082 as amen - PASSED - 23-12-0

AYES – Bair (R), Bastian (R), Bilyeu (D), Cameron (R), Corder(R) Darrington(R), Davis (R), Fulcher (R), Gannon (R), Geddes (R), Goedde (R), Hammond (R), Heinrich (R), Hill (R), Jorgenson(R), Little (R), Lodge(R), McGee (R), McKague (R), McKenzie (R), Pearce (R), Richardson (R), Siddoway (R)

NAYS – Andreason (R), Broadsword (R), Burkett (D), Coiner (R), Kelly (D), Keough (R), Langhorst (D), Malepeai (D), Schroeder(R), Stegner (R), Stennett (D), Werk (D)

Absent and excused – None

Floor Sponsor – Fulcher
Title Approved - to House