With the passage of SB 1082a in the House today, Idaho is nearly assured of having a Parental Consent abortion law that will stand up to legal challenges that have torpedoed past attempts. Governor Butch Otter is expected to sign the bill when it arrives on his desk.

The law, according to Rep. Tom Loertscher, is very similar to the Arizona Parental Consent law, which has already undergone trial by judicial fire – and survived. With exceptions for rape, incest and medical emergencies, the law is bound to protect most young women from predatory abortion doctors and their cohorts at Planned Parenthood. Statistics show that when Parental Consent laws are in effect, the rate of abortions for pregnant teens drops significantly.

Pregnant teenagers are ill-equipped to make such a life-and-death decision on their own. An abortion will do lifelong damage, including increased risk of breast cancer, severe depression, and the risk of death from all causes. For more information on the harms of abortion, backed by irrefutable studies and statistics, visit the Idaho Chooses Life website.

Certainly there are instances when there is such a strained relationship between a pregnant girl and her parents that compliance with the law is unreasonable. For those cases, a “judicial bypass” is available. And you can bet that Planned Parenthood will have their attorneys lined up, ready and waiting to assist with the procedure.

But before that, you can count on Planned Parenthood, the ACLU, and the Idaho Women’s Network to be waiting in the wings to bring suit against the state once again. Only this time, federal judge Linn Winmill, a liberal democrat, will have a tougher time throwing out a law that has already passed judicial scrutiny.

Congratulations to the main sponsor of the bill, Rep. Tom Loertscher, and the numerous other brave legislators who have worked so hard to pass this very important law.