Idaho Supreme Court won’t block strict abortion bans

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Idaho's strict abortion bans will be allowed to take effect while legal challenges over the laws play out in court, the Idaho Supreme Court ruled on Friday.

A doctor and a regional Planned Parenthood affiliate sued the state earlier this year over three anti-abortion laws, all of which were designed to take effect this year now that the U.S. Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade.

Under the ruling, a near-total criminalizing all abortions — but allowing doctors to defend themselves at trial by claiming the abortion was done to save the pregnant person's life — will take effect Aug. 25.

Another law is also going into effect that allows potential relatives of an embryo or fetus to sue abortion providers for up to $20,000 within four years of an abortion. Rapists cannot sue under the law, but a rapists' family members would be able to sue.

Planned Parenthood has also sued over a third strict ban criminalizing abortions done after six weeks of gestation except for in cases where it was needed to save a pregnant person’s life or done because of rape or incest. That law was set to take effect Aug. 19.