Idaho kills forced ultrasound bill

Idaho's controversial forced ultrasound bill was killed Tuesday evening after a House committee chairman declined to hold a hearing on the bill, just days after its Senate passed the legislation.

According to The Spokesman-Review, House State Affairs Committee Chairman Tom Loertscher (R) felt that the bill could lead to a federal court throwing Idaho's already existing informed-consent law for abortion.

"The big problem that’s been identified is the mandatory ultrasound," Loertscher said. "I spoke with the right-to-life people this morning. They agreed that there’s not much that can be done with the bill this year."

The legislation that passed in Idaho's Senate would have required a woman seeking an abortion to first undergo an ultrasound, with no exception for rape or incest. A transvaginal ultrasound would also be required in an early stage of pregnancy to record a fetal heartbeat and gestational age.

Loertscher said that anti-abortion advocates would push for the bill to passed in Idaho next year.

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