Idaho GOP still looks tough on abortion

COEUR D’ALENE — Idaho GOP platform planks that would declare the party’s opposition to any health exemption to Idaho’s abortion laws and oppose any state funding for education beyond high school passed through committee Thursday and Friday.

The committee met both days to evaluate proposed amendments or additions to the Idaho Republican platform at the 2024 Idaho Republican Convention in Coeur d’Alene.

The proposals approved by the committee will go to the full group of delegates for a vote during the general session.

The platform serves as a declaration of beliefs and policies that Republicans attest to abide by.

The press was not allowed in committee meetings at the convention and learned outcomes through discussions with participants afterward.

PLATFORM FOREWORD, ABORTION LAWS

Ada County delegate Branden Durst and Canyon County delegate Kirsten Lucas proposed a lengthy new foreword that includes a list of priorities for Republican lawmakers to be “judged, measured and held accountable for the next years.”

The list had nine priorities for state lawmakers and five for the Idaho Congressional delegation.

The list included directing the Legislature to end sales tax on groceries, provide “universal school choice,” and to “prohibit any changes to Idaho’s abortion laws including the adding of a ‘health’ exception.”

The platform, adopted at the 2022 convention, declares the party believes “all abortion is murder,” including in cases of rape and incest.

Idaho’s bans have narrow exemptions to prevent the death of the mother, to treat ectopic and molar pregnancies, and in cases of rape and incest when there is a corresponding police report.

Some have said that protecting the health and future fertility of the mother should also be added to the laws, which include felony penalties for providers who perform abortions.

This proposal passed but with an amendment that Durst said on X, formerly Twitter, made it “essentially worthless.” The Tribune didn’t learn what the amendment was. A member of the platform committee said he expects Durst to bring forward something else at the general session meetings, held late Friday afternoon and today.

The addition of a health exception has been at the center of debate in the Legislature, but no proposals saw the light of day during the 2024 session. Democrats and some Republican leaders said there was work made on draft legislation but leaders did not let the proposals get introduced in public.

Canyon County alternate delegate Theresa Bradford told reporters that she has serious concerns about the health exemption part of the party’s platform.

In 2017, Bradford’s daughter had complications with her planned pregnancy and doctors had to terminate the pregnancy or she would have faced serious health consequences.

“She was devastated,” Bradford said. “She could have died.”

She also opposes not allowing exemptions for pregnancies as a result of rape or incest.

The party platform is not enforceable law, but Bradford said she’s concerned about it because of recent party platform compliance hearings. As a result of a 2023 rule, local central committees may choose to censure their legislators for not voting in a way they deem consistent with the platform.

“A small group of people can blackmail our legislators, taking away their freedom to look at legislation and make a decision about it,” Bradford said.

HIGHER EDUCATION

Another platform amendment was approved that adds to the existing plank of the platform that says the party strongly supports technical and continuing education programs to include the statement, “but do not support using taxpayer funding for programs beyond high school.”

It would also add that the party does not support state funding going toward education beyond high school.

Canyon County delegate Scott Tilmaint proposed the change.

Kevin Cook, a state senator from Idaho Falls and member of the budget-writing committee, said he spoke in opposition to it, arguing that this could mean the state wouldn’t support its universities, community colleges, medical residency programs, grants to support nuclear education and more.

Cook said he thought the amendment was meant to oppose Idaho Launch, a program that provides graduating high school seniors grants to go toward education or training programs for in-demand careers.

But he thought it could have significant consequences if lawmakers enacted policies as it’s written.

He said making this kind of statement could also act as a deterrent for businesses coming to Idaho that need highly educated workers.

Guido covers Idaho politics for the Lewiston Tribune, Moscow-Pullman Daily News and Idaho Press of Nampa. She may be contacted at lguido@idahopress.com and can be found on X @EyeOnBoiseGuido.