On Tuesday, the Republican governors of Idaho and Arizona signed into law two sweeping pro-life bills that could save thousands of preborn lives.
Idaho Gov. Brad Little approved House Bill 366, titled the Fetal Heartbeat Preborn Child Protection Act, which bans abortions of preborn babies with detectable heartbeats. The bill, sponsored by State Sen. Patti Anne Lodge and State Rep. Steven Harris, protects most babies by around six weeks of pregnancy, though it allows for exceptions in cases of rape, incest, or “medical emergency.”
Abortion providers who abort babies with detectable heartbeats could face up to five years in prison under the law, and pregnant women who undergo outlawed abortions could sue them.
“Idaho is a state that values the most innocent of all lives — the lives of babies. We should never relent in our efforts to protect the lives of the preborn,” Little said upon signing House Bill 366, calling abortion an “absolute tragedy.”
“Hundreds and hundreds of babies lose their lives every year in Idaho due to abortion, an absolute tragedy,” he said. “I appreciate Idaho lawmakers for continuing to protect lives by passing this important legislation, and I am proud to sign the bill into law today.”
Idaho joins several pro-life states that have enacted heartbeat bills in recent years, including Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, Ohio, and Tennessee. Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt also signed similar legislation earlier this week. Read more…