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New ‘heartbeat’ abortion ban bill introduced in Idaho Senate

Idaho Senate
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BOISE, Idaho — Lawmakers on a Senate panel have introduced a new version of legislation that would outlaw abortions in Idaho after fetal heartbeats are detected.

The Senate State Affairs Committee on Friday approved the measure that boosts to a felony the penalty for performing an abortion in those cases. The bill would require doctors before performing abortions to try to detect fetal heartbeats.

If they are found, abortions would be prohibited except if a woman’s life is in danger or if the pregnancy is due to rape or incest.

Similar bills have passed in about a dozen states but are tied up in courts.