In 2021, Idaho passed an anti-abortion law that prohibited abortion once a heartbeat was detected that awaits pending litigation in order to be enacted. Additionally, Idaho is adopting the private enforcement mechanism seen in the Texas Heartbeat Law. The Texas heartbeat law has had a demonstrable impact in slashing the infanticide rate in the large state of Texas. Evangelical Dark Web reported at the time:
In September, the first month of the law taking effect, Texas saw 2197 abortions. For a state that averaged 4958 abortions per month for 2021 in the months prior, that represents a 55.69% drop from the mean. Only 2 abortions were performed outside of the Weeks 0-8 (which is the earliest categorization Texas reports).
Sensing the Supreme Court’s reluctance to halt the enforcement of new legislation, Idaho looks to emmulate the private enforcement mechanism seen in Texas. It’s not as wide in scope as the Texas law because only the abortionist can be liable for damages, but nonetheless the new strategy in anti-abortion legislation has spread to a second state. According to Life News:
The unique private enforcement mechanism in the Texas law is the reason why the courts have allowed the law to stay in effect for the past four months, saving thousands of unborn babies’ lives. Though the court battle over the Texas law is not over, pro-lifers in Idaho and other states hope that by passing similar pro-life laws with private enforcement mechanisms that they, too, will save unborn babies from abortion while Roe v. Wade remains.
Predictably, the pro-abortion crowd is displeased with this legislation. It is expected that Governor Brad Little will sign this legislation into law.
