Capitol Letters: New bill to criminalize helping minors seek abortion

Ryan Suppe
McClatchy

By Ryan Suppe, State Politics Reporter

People who travel with a minor to another state for an abortion, or help a minor obtain an abortion-inducing drug, would face at least two years in prison under a new Idaho bill.

The legislation, from Rep. Barbara Ehardt, R-Idaho Falls, would update Idaho’s anti-human trafficking code to include “recruiting, harboring or transporting a pregnant minor with the intent” to procure an abortion, or an abortion-inducing drug, without their guardian’s knowledge.

“It is something that, unfortunately, is happening, and I don’t think any of us want to see our minors not only trafficked but in this situation,” Ehardt told the House State Affairs Committee. “We will make sure that we have top-notch legal authority to deal with this.”

Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates, a nonprofit that advocates for abortion rights, called Ehardt’s legislation “cruel.”

“All Idahoans should be paying attention to this extreme attempt at government overreach to control our movements in and out of the state of Idaho,” Rebecca Gibron, CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Northwest, Hawaii, Indiana, Kentucky, said in a news release.

Read my full story here.

Bill on gender-neutral bathrooms clears Idaho Senate

An Idaho bill that would bar local governments from requiring contractors to provide transgender people access to restrooms that align with their gender identities cleared a major hurdle yesterday.

The bill, from Sen. Scott Herndon, R-Sagle, would block state and local governments from requiring that public works contractors provide access to restrooms, showers or changing rooms “on any basis other than biological sex.”

The Senate cleared the legislation yesterday on a party-line vote. The bill now heads to the House.

Senate Minority Leader Melissa Wintrow, D-Boise, said the bill is another example of “growing hostility against a group of people who just want to live their lives and go to the bathroom when they need to.”

“This is just one more attack on people who are trans,” she said.

Read my full story here.

Bill on rental fees to be amended

A bill from Sen. Ali Rabe, D-Boise, that would require rental fees to be “reasonable” and clearly stated in a lease agreement stalled yesterday while the sponsor works on an amendment.

Rabe said that Senate Majority Leader Kelly Anthon, R-Burley, recommended the bill make clear that it wouldn’t retroactively apply to existing leases and would go into effect July 1.

“I’m definitely open to putting this into the amending order to add that in there,” Rabe said. “And I’ve actually already drafted that amendment.”

Republicans on the Senate Judiciary and Rules Committee complimented the bill, which is backed by landlords. Senate Assistant Majority Leader Abby Lee, R-Fruitland, said Idaho law provides similar protection for homeowners who pay mortgages.

“We also have more protections for your storage unit than you have for the place that you live,” Lee said. “I think we have some clear direction in public policy, and this provides consistency for me.”

What to expect today

  • 8 a.m. Joint Finance-Appropriations. Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador will present his office’s budget.

  • 9 a.m. House State Affairs. Committee members will consider a bill, from Rep. Joe Alfieri, R-Coeur d’Alene, that would restrict absentee ballot voting to people who are in the military, ill on election day, in school or out of the country on a religious mission.

  • 1:30 p.m. House Resources and Conservation. Rep. Jack Nelsen, R-Jerome, will present legislation related to the Lava Ridge wind farm project. Idaho Gov. Brad Little and three of the state’s congressional delegates this week sent a letter to the Biden administration expressing “deep concern” over the “single-use” project in Central Idaho.

  • 3 p.m. Senate Local Government and Taxation. Republican lawmakers will present a slew of legislation related to property tax relief, income taxes and local government annexations.

Find the full list of committee meetings and agendas for the House here, and for the Senate here.

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