A6 BAKER CITY HERALD • SATURDAY, JUNE 25, 2022
STATE & NATION
ROE V. WADE OVERTURNED
Idaho among states set to ban most abortions
Oregon will retain abortion rights;
Governor: ‘Abortion is health care’
said she would take an opposite
approach to Drazan.
The governors of Califor-
“Our right to control our own
nia, Oregon, and Washington
bodies and futures has been
on Friday, June 24 pledged to
gutted,” Kotek. “I’m furious.”
maintain access to abortions
Kotek called on abortion
and other reproductive health
rights supporters to turn out for
care following the U.S. Supreme the November elections.
Court decision radically revis-
“Make no mistake: reproduc-
ing the Roe v. Wade ruling.
tive freedom is on the ballot in
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown said Oregon this year,” she said.
the 6-3 decision handed down
Betsy Johnson, the for-
Friday by the U.S. Supreme
mer Democratic state senator
Court in the case of Dobbs v.
launching an unaffiliated bid
Jackson Women’s Health Orga-
for governor, said the right to
nization means about 33.6 mil-
choose abortion was a “bed-
lion women now find abortion
rock” issue for her and the state.
illegal or inaccessible.
“I am pro-choice,” Johnson
“Abortion is health care,
said. “As Oregon’s independent
and no matter who you are or
governor, I will always defend
where you come from, Oregon
and protect a woman’s right to
doesn’t turn away anyone seek-
choose.”
ing health care — pe-
In 1969, Oregon be-
riod,” Brown said in a
came one of the first
statement Friday morn-
states to legalize some
ing. “Let me be clear:
form of abortion.
You cannot ban abor-
Modeled after a
tion, you can only ban
British statute, the
safe abortions — and
state law approved
this disgraceful Supreme
by the legislature al-
Brown
Court decision will un-
lowed legal abortions
doubtedly put many
during the first 150
people’s lives at risk.”
days after conception.
The position was endorsed by
The patient had to be an Ore-
California Gov. Gavin Newsom gon resident and the procedure
and Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, was limited to cases of rape,
both Democrats.
severe handicaps, or danger to
Former House Minority
the mother’s physical or men-
Leader Christine Drazan, the
tal health. The procedure could
Republican nominee for gover-
only be done in a hospital by a
nor of Oregon in 2022, said that physician.
if elected she would veto legis-
The state’s early adoption of
lation to strengthen the state’s
abortion rights became a ral-
abortion access laws.
lying issue for Oregon Right to
“Despite the U.S. Supreme
Life, which posts on its website:
Court’s decision, Oregon will
“Oregon is the only state in
continue to have among the
America with NO protective
most extreme abortion laws
pro-life laws. Oregon also le-
in the country and around
galized abortion before Roe v.
the world. As governor, I will
Wade.”
stand up for life by vetoing leg-
After the U.S. Supreme Court
islation designed to push Ore-
ruling in Roe v. Wade in 1973,
gon further outside the main-
Oregon aligned its laws with the
stream.”
federal standard.
Former House Speaker Tina
In 2017, the Legislature ap-
Kotek, D-Portland, the 2022
proved a bill requiring insur-
Democratic nominee for gov-
ance companies to cover abor-
ernor, slammed the ruling and
tions.
BY GARY WARNER
Oregon Capital Bureau
Gemunu Amarasinghe/Associated Press
Abortion-rights protesters display placards during a demonstration outside of the U.S. Supreme Court, Sunday, May 8, 2022, in
Washington, D.C.
Idaho law passed in
2020 includes rape,
incest exceptions
BY KEITH RIDLER
Associated Press
BOISE — The overturning of Roe v.
Wade by the U.S. Supreme Court with
a 6-3 vote on Friday, June 24 triggers a
2020 Idaho law banning all abortions
except in cases of reported rape or in-
cest, or to protect the mother’s life.
That law takes effect 30 days after
the court’s decision, negating the state’s
current law allowing most abortions
up to viability at about 24 weeks.
“Idaho has been at the forefront of
enacting new laws to protect preborn
babies,” Republican Gov. Brad Little
said in a statement, noting he signed
the 2020 trigger law.
“However, we fully acknowledge
this monumental moment in our
country’s history means we must con-
front what (we) know will be growing
needs for women and families in the
months and years ahead,” he said. “We
absolutely must come together like
never before to support women and
teens facing unexpected or unwanted
pregnancies.”
Under the trigger law, the person
performing the abortion could face a
felony prosecution punishable by up
to five years in prison.
In cases of rape or incest, the law re-
quires pregnant women to file a police
report and provide a copy of the report
to the provider prior to an abortion.
“I never expected to see such a grave
rollback of our rights in the 21st Cen-
tury,” said Democratic Rep. Lauren
Necochea, who also chairs the Idaho
Democratic Party. “In 30 short days,
a trigger law banning safe and legal
abortions will go into effect, stripping
away Idahoans’ reproductive rights.
This law is especially cruel because it
only applies to those who don’t have
the resources to find a way around it.
People of means will be able to flee the
state to receive abortion care, while
Idahoans facing low wages, including
a disproportionate share of people of
color, will face involuntary pregnancy.”
Planned Parenthood in a statement
said it would continue to provide
abortion care in Idaho as long as it was
legally able to do so.
“It is my promise to every person in
Idaho that Planned Parenthood will
never back down,” said Rebecca Gi-
bron, CEO of Planned Parenthood
Great Northwest, Hawaii, Indiana,
Kentucky. “We will keep fighting with
everything we’ve got to ensure that ev-
eryone can access the care you need to
control your body and your life. I want
to be clear: Planned Parenthood will
always be here to help you get the care
you need.”
The regional Planned Parenthood
before the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling
had already closed its clinic in Boise,
Idaho’s state’s largest city, leaving two
other locations open in Twin Falls and
Meridian. It said it is opening a new
clinic in Ontario on the Idaho-Oregon
border, about a 45-minute drive from
Boise.
This year, Idaho lawmakers also
passed a Texas-style ban prohibit-
ing abortions after about six weeks
of pregnancy and authorizing family
members to sue medical providers
for performing an abortion. That law
is on hold following a challenge by
Planned Parenthood. The Idaho Su-
preme Court is scheduled to hear ar-
guments in August.
If the Idaho Supreme Court upholds
the state’s Texas-style abortion ban,
with Roe v. Wade now tossed aside,
a medical provider who performs an
abortion in Idaho could face a lawsuit
and criminal charges.
Pregnant women in Idaho seeking
abortions will have to travel out of
state, with the nearest abortion provid-
ers in Washington, Oregon, Nevada
and Colorado.
“No one should have to flee their
state to access safe healthcare,” Boise
Mayor Lauren McLean said on Twit-
ter. “I remain steadfast in my sup-
port for all people who need access to
abortion care & stand with them in
fighting for privacy in health care de-
cisions.”
Text us
your tire photo
541-519-8878
we will text
back with a quote
for new tires!
Lew Brothers Tire Service
541-523-3679
210 Bridge St. Baker City, OR