Staff Reports
Idaho’s Attorney General, Raul Labrador, is optimistic as the Supreme Court prepares to hear his office’s appeal regarding the state’s abortion ban. Labrador believes the Court’s ruling has the potential to uphold the will of Idaho voters, who voiced their support for the ban through their elected representatives. He argues that the Department of Justice is launching a “political” attack on Idaho’s abortion ban, which he believes endangers the lives of both women and unborn children.
Following the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization in 2022, which returned abortion jurisdiction to the states, Idaho implemented the Defense of Life Act. This Act penalizes doctors for performing an abortion unless it is necessary to prevent the woman from dying. However, the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Idaho over the law, claiming that the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) supersedes the state’s law by requiring hospitals that receive Medicare funds to provide stabilizing care to patients, including abortions in emergency situations.
Idaho's AG: DOJ was 'political' in suing state over pro-life law ahead of Supreme Court arguments https://t.co/dTd9dJUPfc
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) April 11, 2024
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the Justice Department, upholding a lower court’s injunction that prevented the state from enforcing its law. As a result, the Supreme Court put the injunction on hold and agreed to hear Idaho’s appeal this month. Labrador criticizes the Justice Department for choosing a jurisdiction that supports Planned Parenthood, alleging that the Department is attempting to challenge pro-life legislation through “forum shopping.”
Labrador also argues that the Justice Department’s interpretation of EMTALA conflicts with the consensus among federal courts of appeals, which do not view EMTALA as dictating a federal standard of care or displacing state medical standards. Since the Dobbs ruling, more than a dozen states have implemented laws restricting abortion, and Idaho’s case is part of a larger legal battle as several states have faced challenges related to EMTALA and abortion laws.
The cases of Idaho v. United States and Moyle v. United States, which will be argued together on April 24, have the potential to have a significant impact on abortion laws and women’s healthcare. A ruling from the Supreme Court is not expected to be immediate, but it is anticipated to be made before the end of June when the Court concludes its term.
