The US state of Idaho’s Supreme Court refuses to strike down a law that criminalizes all abortions in the state. The court ruled on Friday that the ban could take effect from August 25 as planned. After Indiana, Idaho became the second state to pass such a law after repealing the nationwide right to abortion.
Planned Parenthood filed a lawsuit against the new law, which is supported mainly by Republicans. According to the American Women’s Health Organization, the law violates the right to privacy and equal protection of rights in the Idaho Constitution.
The right to abortion was enshrined in the US Constitution in 1973 with the Roe v Wade abortion case. In that case, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a landmark ruling at the time: it declared “unconstitutional” any law that made abortion difficult or prohibited in U.S. states.
The Supreme Court, now made up of mostly Republican justices, reversed that decision in June. As a result, each state can now decide whether or not to allow abortion.
Three justices voted in favor of the new law and two against
The Idaho Supreme Court was split on whether to pass the bill. In the end, three justices voted in favor of the law and two justices voted against it. That means the new law will come into effect on August 25 and will criminalize all abortions in the state.
Judge Robin Brady said Planned Parenthood could not show it needed such “draconian relief,” especially since Roe v. Wade made abortion illegal in Idaho.
The judges also ruled that a law banning abortions after six weeks of pregnancy could be temporarily suspended.