The GOP’s Invasive Ultrasound Craze Spreads to Idaho
The Republican Party is promoting (or has already gotten signed into law) their Neanderthal “mandatory invasive ultrasound” laws in Virginia, Alabama, N. Carolina, Illinois, Texas, Arizona, Florida, Kansas, and Pennsylvania.
And as of today, we can add Idaho to the list: Pre-Abortion Ultrasound Bill Introduced in Idaho.
The Idaho bill was introduced in the Senate State Affairs Committee this morning on a party-line vote, with only the panel’s two Democrats objecting.
“Because ultrasound is a key element of informed consent, it should be required that a woman have that before she has an abortion upon her,” Kerry Uhlenkott, legislative director of Right to Life of Idaho, told the senators. “Information empowers a women to make true, informed decisions.”
Senate Majority Leader Bart Davis, R-Idaho Falls, immediately moved to introduce the bill, and Senate President Pro-Tem Brent Hill, R-Rexburg, seconded the motion; Sens. Michelle Stennett, D-Ketchum, and Edgar Malepeai, D-Pocatello, then asked Uhlenkott questions about the bill.
“This is requiring an invasive procedure to be done possibly against someone’s wishes as part of a medical process,” Stennett said. “Do you see any contradiction in requiring someone to have a procedure like this?”
Uhlenkott responded, “No, the informed consent is vital for a woman, ultrasound is vital for a women to have, before she makes her decision on whether to have an abortion or not.”