After a long and intense debate, the House has voted 49-18 in favor of SB 1385, the abortion “trigger” bill to criminalize abortion in Idaho if Roe vs. Wade is overturned or there’s a U.S. constitutional amendment that allows states to ban abortion. Rep. Megan Blanksma, R-Hammett, in her closing debate, said, “Everybody needs to face the consequences of their own personal choices.” As for arguments that it’s an injection of government into women’s personal lives, Blanksma said, “I think that the government forces you to do a lot of things,” starting with putting on seatbelts. She said this may be the most important injection of government into people’s lives.
The bill earlier passed the Senate; it now goes to the governor’s desk. If it were to be “triggered,” it would impose felony penalties on doctors who perform abortions, with exceptions only for rape or incest that have been officially reported, or the life of the mother.