The Idaho Senate voted today 29-6 to create the crime of abortion-coercion in Idaho. HB654 now awaits the Governor’s signature.

This new act defines the coercion of an abortion as a crime for the first time since the Supreme Court forced America to allow abortions in our communities. The law defines ‘coercion’ too narrowly – but is a major step forward.

Among the more important features of this legislation is the creation of a right for victims of coercion to sue the perpetrators – even if a criminal prosecution does not take place.

We want to publicly thank the bill’s sponsors – Rep. Bob Nonini and Sen. Monty Pearce for their leadership and commitment in getting this done for Idaho’s women and preborn children.

We also want to acknowledge the tremendous contributions made to this effort by Dr. David Reardon and the Elliot Institute. We made generous use of his groundbreaking research into the whole problem of forced abortions – and it was decisive in framing the legislative debate.

With your support, we hope to build upon this victory in coming months. Among our goals this year is to produce a pamphlet educating women about their rights under the law and the dangers of submitting to an abortion against their wills.

HB 654, legislation which will criminalize forced abortions in Idaho, passed the Idaho House yesterday by an overwhelming 55-11 margin. Today, we have an opportunity to explain the problem of coerced abortions to the Senate State Affairs Committee, chaired by Sen. Curt McKenzie, Republican of Nampa.

The opposition on the House floor was led by Boise Democrat Reps. Phylis King, Bill Killen and Nicole LeFavour.

Rep. Killen offered a series of questions during debate which suggested he had not actually read the bill – expressing fears that men might be charged with criminal coercion even in cases where the victim was unaware of the coercion.

The major thrust of opposition seemed to focus on the fact that the bill did not specifically provide for the coercion of women to give birth.

Bill sponsor Rep. Bob Nonini (R-CdA) responded by observing that a wealth of federal protections for the so-called right to an abortion exist – from the FACE Act to dozens of court decisions; on the other hand, virtually nothing has been done in the country to defend a woman’s right to give birth.

That argument was insufficient to dissuade ten House Democrats and one Republican (Tom Trail – Moscow) from opposing this very modest protection for pregnant women and girls.

We are expecting the Idaho House of Representatives to approve HB 654, legislation which will make it a crime to force a woman to submit to an abortion.


This is not the bill we were hoping to pass. It has been narrowly drawn to define "coercion" as including only assault and battery. From our two-year study of this serious problem, it is clear that ‘coercion’ takes many forms – all of them potentially deadly to the mother and baby.

Those additional protections will have to await another legislative session.


The problem has been the Abortion Lobby – principally Planned Parenthood. Their repeated threats to sue in federal court if we persist in efforts to protect women from forced abortion have had an effect on legislators. They simply refuse to allow the State to interfere with their business practices, which obviously involve doing abortions on women and girls they suspect are under duress.


HB 654 does not do what is necessary to create a safe zone around women and girls dealing with a difficult pregnancy. But it is a beginning. It establishes the concept of abortion-coercion in Idaho Law for the first time; in fact – we think this may be the first such law in the nation.


As we approach the final days of the 2008 Legislative Session, we ask that you remain vigilant with your calls and prayers.

To see the amended legislation for yourself:

http://http://www3.state.id.us/oasis/H0654.html