Idaho considering ban on certain forms of birth control following Roe v. Wade leak

9 May 2022, 17:16

Olivia Rodrigo speaks out in defence of abortion rights

By Jazmin Duribe

Will birth control be banned? Here's what Idaho has planned if Roe is overturned.

Lawmakers in Idaho are considering banning or restricting certain types of contraception following the leaking of a draft decision that would overturn Roe v. Wade, which made abortion legal in the US in 1973.

Last Monday (May 2), Politico revealed that they had obtained a draft in which the Supreme Court had officially voted to strike down Roe v. Wade. Although the final opinion of the Supreme Court will not be confirmed until June, celebrities like Olivia Rodrigo and Halsey have been condemning the proposal, which would effectively push the law on reproductive rights back decades.

If Roe is overturned, Idaho has laws in place that would mean all abortions would be banned immediately. The only exception would be for pregnancies that are a threat to the mother's life, or have transpired through rape or incest. However, the incident would have to have been reported to the police.

If you were to perform an abortion, that could mean two to five years in prison and a medical license suspension. However, there are no laws that would punish the pregnant person for having an abortion.

READ MORE: Olivia Rodrigo speaks out in defence of abortion rights in powerful concert speech

Now, in another damaging move, Idaho are considering putting more restrictions in place for people with uteruses. On Friday (May 6), House State Affairs Committee Chairman Brent Crane said he "absolutely would" hear legislation banning the morning-after pill and abortion pills. But on the subject of IUDs, Crane said he was "not for certain yet on where I would be on that particular issue".

While abortion pills actually terminate a pregnancy and are therefore an issue for pro-lifers, they also argue that because life begins once the egg is fertilised, and IUDs and the morning after pill stop fertilised eggs from implanting in the uterine walls (they also block the sperm from even reaching the egg), then they could also be considered a form of abortion.

"It’s no secret that I am pro life, I’m anti abortion, and so obviously this is an area of law that I’ve worked in and spent a lot of time working in," Crane said. "If you look at my record over the past 16 years you'll see that I've passed or worked on 17 pieces of legislation in regards to this issue. For a pro life lawmaker, this is something I’m very excited about."

In a statement, Democrat Idaho State Rep. Lauren Necochea, who was present at the interview, said: "The admission that Idaho’s Republicans lawmakers may outlaw safe and effective forms of birth control is our worst fear realized. This declaration should serve as a wake-up call for every Idahoan, and American, that our right to privacy and the very control of our bodies and lives are in their crosshairs."

However, in a follow-up interview with the Idaho Statesman the following day, Crane clarified his initial comments and stated that he does support contraception, including IUDs, and would not be banning them.

Crane has a problem with emergency contraceptives, like Plan B, and abortion pills because apparently there have been reports of "complications" around them. However, research suggests that both medications are safe. "I would entertain a hearing to get the information out there and determine whether these rumours are founded," Crane said.

People in Idaho and beyond are reacting to the latest potentially harmful law on reproductive rights.

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