Appeals court ruling nearly triggers Idaho abortion law

By KEITH RIDLER
Associated Press

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A federal appeals court’s decision allowing a Texas fetal heartbeat law to take effect Wednesday isn’t enough to trigger Idaho’s similar fetal heartbeat law, but backers say it’s a near miss that bodes well for banning nearly all abortions in Idaho.

The Idaho law signed by Republican Gov. Brad Little in April contains a trigger mechanism putting it into effect 30 days after a federal appeals court upholds similar legislation in another state.

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals refused to block enforcement of the Texas law.

But the appeals court didn’t rule on the constitutionality of the Texas law, needed to trigger the Idaho law.