Supreme Court Appears Poised to Allow, for Now, Emergency Abortions in Idaho

The Supreme Court of the United States seems to be leaning towards allowing emergency abortions in Idaho, at least for the time being. The issue at hand is a controversial law passed by the state of Idaho that bans most abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy, with no exceptions for cases of rape, incest, or the health of the mother.

The law, known as the Idaho Fetal Heartbeat Preborn Child Protection Act, was signed by Governor Brad Little in April 2021 and was set to go into effect on April 22. However, a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order blocking the law from being enforced while legal challenges proceed.

The state of Idaho appealed the decision to the Supreme Court, arguing that the law should be allowed to take effect while the legal battle plays out in lower courts. The Supreme Court held a hearing on the matter on October 1, where the justices appeared divided on the issue.

During the hearing, Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Brett Kavanaugh expressed concerns about the law’s lack of exceptions for cases of rape or incest. Justice Neil Gorsuch, on the other hand, seemed to indicate that he believed the law should be allowed to go into effect.

It is worth noting that the Supreme Court has not yet issued a final ruling on the matter, but their comments during the hearing suggest that they may be leaning towards allowing emergency abortions in Idaho for the time being. This would be a significant victory for reproductive rights advocates who have been fighting against the strict abortion laws being passed in many states across the country.

The outcome of this case could have far-reaching implications for abortion rights in the United States, as it could set a precedent for how the Supreme Court handles similar cases in the future. It remains to be seen how the justices will ultimately rule on the matter, but for now, it appears that emergency abortions will be allowed in Idaho.