Here is the latest Idaho news from The Associated Press at 11:40 a.m. MDT


Save Story

Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes

This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Idaho Gov. Brad Little declared a state of emergency Friday due to the new coronavirus. The Republican governor said there are no confirmed cases in the state but he wanted the state to be prepared. He said the emergency declaration would be in effect for 30 days but could be extended. The declaration makes emergency money available and gives Little flexibility in responding to situations around the state. State officials say more than 100 people in Idaho have so far been tested, but no one has been positive for COVID-19, the illness caused by the new coronavirus.

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A bill in Idaho that would ban any public money from going to organizations that provide abortions is heading to the Senate. The Senate State Affairs Committee on Friday sent the measure to the full Senate for possible amendments. The amendments haven't been made public, but sponsors told the committee they are intended to avoid potential lawsuits. Federal and state law already bans public funding for abortion except in certain circumstances, such as when a pregnancy results from rape or incest or endangers the pregnant woman’s life. But health care providers who perform abortions can receive public funding for other medical services. The bill seeks to cut off that funding.

ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) — A public interest law firm is asking the Supreme Court to consider whether police officers and other government agents should have broad immunity from civil lawsuits. The court is expected to decide as soon as this month whether to take the cases. In one, a college student was restricted from suing officers who beat him up in a case of mistaken identity. Another involves a woman whose home was destroyed by agents looking for her ex-boyfriend. The Arlington, Virginia-based Institute for Justice says officers are hiding behind a doctrine called “qualified immunity” that allows them to violate citizens' rights without penalty.

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — The Idaho Senate has approved legislation making abortion a crime should the U.S. Supreme Court overturn Roe v. Wade, the ruling establishing abortion rights nationwide. The Senate voted 27-7 Thursday to approve the measure that includes exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother. Under the measure, criminal punishment would apply to the person performing the abortion, not the woman. A reversal of Roe would mean abortion policy would revert to the states. President Donald Trump has appointed two conservative judges to the U.S. Supreme Court, and there’s speculation the court could overturn the 1973 Roe decision. The measure now goes to the House.

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Most recent Idaho stories

Related topics

KSL.com Beyond Business
KSL.com Beyond Series

KSL Weather Forecast

KSL Weather Forecast
Play button