2008 Legislation
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HOUSE BILL NO. 654<br /> – Abortion, coerce, penalty

HOUSE BILL NO. 654

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Bill Status



H0654aa....................................................by STATE AFFAIRS
ABORTION - Adds to and amends existing law to provide that it is a criminal
act to coerce or attempt to coerce a woman to obtain an abortion; to
provide for recovery of damages by civil suit; to provide penalties; and to
provide definitions.

03/17    House intro - 1st rdg - to printing
03/18    Rpt prt - to 2nd rdg
03/19    2nd rdg - to 3rd rdg
03/20    To Gen Ord - Rpt out amen - to engros
03/21    Rpt engros - 1st rdg - to 2nd rdg as amen
03/25    2nd rdg - to 3rd rdg as amen
    Rls susp - PASSED - 55-11-4
      AYES -- Anderson, Andrus, Barrett, Bayer, Bedke, Bell, Bilbao, Black,
      Block, Bock, Bolz, Bowers, Brackett, Bradford, Chadderdon, Clark,
      Collins, Crane, Durst, Eskridge, Hagedorn, Hart, Harwood, Henbest,
      Henderson, Jaquet, Kren, Labrador, Lake, Loertscher, Luker, Marriott,
      Mathews, Mortimer, Nielsen, Nonini, Patrick, Raybould, Roberts,
      Ruchti, Sayler, Schaefer, Shepherd(02), Shepherd(08), Shirley,
      Shively, Snodgrass, Stevenson, Thayn, Thomas, Vander Woude, Wills,
      Wood(27), Wood(35), Mr. Speaker
      NAYS -- Boe, Chavez, Chew, Killen, King, LeFavour, Pasley-Stuart,
      Pence, Ringo, Smith(30), Trail
      Absent and excused -- McGeachin, Moyle, Rusche, Smith(24)
    Floor Sponsor - Nonini
    Title apvd - to Senate
03/25    Senate intro - 1st rdg - to St Aff
03/26    Rpt out - rec d/p - to 2nd rdg
03/27    2nd rdg - to 3rd rdg
    Rls susp - PASSED - 29-6-0
      AYES -- Andreason, Bair, Bastian, Bilyeu, Broadsword, Cameron,
      Corder, Darrington, Davis, Fulcher, Gannon(Gannon), Geddes, Goedde,
      Hammond, Heinrich, Hill, Jorgenson, Keough, Langhorst, Little, Lodge,
      McGee, McKague, McKenzie, Pearce, Richardson, Siddoway, Stegner,
      Stennett
      NAYS -- Burkett, Coiner, Kelly, Malepeai(Sagness), Schroeder, Werk
      Absent and excused -- None
    Floor Sponsor - Pearce
    Title apvd - to House
03/28    To enrol - Rpt enrol - Sp signed
03/31    Pres signed
04/01    To Governor
04/09    Governor signed
         Session Law Chapter 388
         Effective: 07/01/08

Bill Text




                                                                       
  ]]]]              LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO             ]]]]
 Fifty-ninth Legislature                   Second Regular Session - 2008

                                                                       

                              IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                                     HOUSE BILL NO. 654

                                 BY STATE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE

  1                                        AN ACT
  2    RELATING TO ABORTION AND CONTRACEPTIVES; AMENDING CHAPTER 6, TITLE  18,  IDAHO
  3        CODE, BY THE ADDITION OF A NEW SECTION 18-615, IDAHO CODE, TO PROVIDE THAT
  4        IT  IS  A CRIMINAL ACT TO COERCE OR ATTEMPT TO COERCE A WOMAN TO OBTAIN AN
  5        ABORTION, TO PROVIDE FOR RECOVERY OF DAMAGES BY CIVIL SUIT AND TO  PROVIDE
  6        PENALTIES;  AND  AMENDING  SECTION  18-615, IDAHO CODE, TO REDESIGNATE THE
  7        SECTION.

  8    Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:

  9        SECTION 1.  That Chapter 6, Title 18, Idaho Code,  be,  and  the  same  is
 10    hereby  amended by the addition thereto of a NEW SECTION, to be known and des-
 11    ignated as Section 18-615, Idaho Code, and to read as follows:

 12        18-615.  CRIMINAL ACT TO COERCE OR ATTEMPT TO COERCE A WOMAN TO OBTAIN  AN
 13    ABORTION.  (1)  A person violates the provisions of this section when, knowing
 14    that a woman is pregnant, and with the intent to induce the pregnant woman  to
 15    abort, whether by a medical procedure or otherwise:
 16        (a)  Threatens  to inflict physical injury or death on the pregnant woman;
 17        or
 18        (b)  Conspires to inflict physical injury or death on the pregnant  woman;
 19        or
 20        (c)  Unlawfully inflicts physical injury on the pregnant woman.
 21        (2)  A  pregnant  woman  injured  by reason of a person's violation of the
 22    provisions of this section may bring a civil suit for recovery of damages  for
 23    such  injury,  whether or not the perpetrator is criminally prosecuted or con-
 24    victed. In such a civil suit, the pregnant woman shall be entitled to  recover
 25    her reasonable attorney's fees and costs if she is the prevailing party.
 26        (3)  Violations  of the provisions of this section are classified and pun-
 27    ishable as follows:
 28        (a)  If the act includes physical contact with resulting  physical  injury
 29        to  the  pregnant  woman,  the  person is guilty of a felony punishable by
 30        imprisonment for not more than five (5) years, or a fine of not more  than
 31        five thousand dollars ($5,000), or by both such imprisonment and fine.
 32        (b)  If  the  act  does not include physical contact resulting in physical
 33        injury to the pregnant woman, the person is guilty of a  misdemeanor  pun-
 34        ishable by imprisonment for not more than six (6) months, or a fine of not
 35        more  than one thousand dollars ($1,000), or by both such imprisonment and
 36        fine.
 37        (4)  The term "woman" in this section includes a minor female.

 38        SECTION 2.  That Section 18-615, Idaho Code, be, and the  same  is  hereby
 39    amended to read as follows:

 40        18-6156.  SEVERABILITY. If any one (1) or more provision, section, subsec-
 41    tion,  sentence,  clause,  phrase,  or word of this chapter or the application

                                       2

  1    thereof to any person or circumstance is found  to  be  unconstitutional,  the
  2    same  is hereby declared to be severable and the balance of this chapter shall
  3    remain effective notwithstanding  such  unconstitutionality.  The  legislature
  4    hereby  declares  that  it would have passed every section of this chapter and
  5    each provision, section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase or word  thereof
  6    irrespective of the fact  that any one (1) or more provision, section, subsec-
  7    tion, sentence, clause, phrase or word be declared unconstitutional.

Amendment




                                                                       
  ]]]]              LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO             ]]]]
 Fifty-ninth Legislature                   Second Regular Session - 2008

                                                                       

                                                     Moved by    Nonini

                                                     Seconded by Anderson


                              IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
                              HOUSE AMENDMENT TO H.B. NO. 654

  1                                AMENDMENT TO SECTION 1
  2        On page 1 of the printed bill, delete lines 28 through 37 and insert:
  3        "(a)  A violation of subsection (1)(a) or (1)(b) of this  section  consti-
  4        tutes a misdemeanor punishable by not more than six (6) months in jail, or
  5        a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), or both.
  6        (b)  A violation of subsection (1)(c) of this section constitutes a felony
  7        punishable  by imprisonment for not more than five (5) years, or a fine of
  8        not more than five thousand dollars ($5,000), or both.
  9        (4)  The term "physical injury" means a condition of the body, such  as  a
 10    wound  or  external  or internal injury, whether of a minor or serious nature,
 11    caused by physical force.
 12        (5)  The term "woman" includes a minor female.".

 13                                 CORRECTION TO TITLE
 14        On page 1, in line 5 following "SUIT" delete "AND" and insert: ","; and in
 15    line 6 following "PENALTIES" insert: "AND TO PROVIDE DEFINITIONS".

Engrossed Bill (Original Bill with Amendment(s) Incorporated)




                                                                       
  ]]]]              LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO             ]]]]
 Fifty-ninth Legislature                   Second Regular Session - 2008

                                                                       

                              IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                               HOUSE BILL NO. 654, As Amended

                                 BY STATE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE

  1                                        AN ACT
  2    RELATING TO ABORTION AND CONTRACEPTIVES; AMENDING CHAPTER 6, TITLE  18,  IDAHO
  3        CODE, BY THE ADDITION OF A NEW SECTION 18-615, IDAHO CODE, TO PROVIDE THAT
  4        IT  IS  A CRIMINAL ACT TO COERCE OR ATTEMPT TO COERCE A WOMAN TO OBTAIN AN
  5        ABORTION, TO PROVIDE FOR RECOVERY OF DAMAGES BY  CIVIL  SUIT,  TO  PROVIDE
  6        PENALTIES  AND  TO PROVIDE DEFINITIONS; AND AMENDING SECTION 18-615, IDAHO
  7        CODE, TO REDESIGNATE THE SECTION.

  8    Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:

  9        SECTION 1.  That Chapter 6, Title 18, Idaho Code,  be,  and  the  same  is
 10    hereby  amended by the addition thereto of a NEW SECTION, to be known and des-
 11    ignated as Section 18-615, Idaho Code, and to read as follows:

 12        18-615.  CRIMINAL ACT TO COERCE OR ATTEMPT TO COERCE A WOMAN TO OBTAIN  AN
 13    ABORTION.  (1)  A person violates the provisions of this section when, knowing
 14    that a woman is pregnant, and with the intent to induce the pregnant woman  to
 15    abort, whether by a medical procedure or otherwise:
 16        (a)  Threatens  to inflict physical injury or death on the pregnant woman;
 17        or
 18        (b)  Conspires to inflict physical injury or death on the pregnant  woman;
 19        or
 20        (c)  Unlawfully inflicts physical injury on the pregnant woman.
 21        (2)  A  pregnant  woman  injured  by reason of a person's violation of the
 22    provisions of this section may bring a civil suit for recovery of damages  for
 23    such  injury,  whether or not the perpetrator is criminally prosecuted or con-
 24    victed. In such a civil suit, the pregnant woman shall be entitled to  recover
 25    her reasonable attorney's fees and costs if she is the prevailing party.
 26        (3)  Violations  of the provisions of this section are classified and pun-
 27    ishable as follows:
 28        (a)  A violation of subsection (1)(a) or (1)(b) of  this  section  consti-
 29        tutes a misdemeanor punishable by not more than six (6) months in jail, or
 30        a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), or both.
 31        (b)  A violation of subsection (1)(c) of this section constitutes a felony
 32        punishable  by imprisonment for not more than five (5) years, or a fine of
 33        not more than five thousand dollars ($5,000), or both.
 34        (4)  The term "physical injury" means a condition of the body, such  as  a
 35    wound  or  external  or internal injury, whether of a minor or serious nature,
 36    caused by physical force.
 37        (5)  The term "woman" includes a minor female.

 38        SECTION 2.  That Section 18-615, Idaho Code, be, and the  same  is  hereby
 39    amended to read as follows:

 40        18-6156.  SEVERABILITY. If any one (1) or more provision, section, subsec-
 41    tion,  sentence,  clause,  phrase,  or word of this chapter or the application

                                       2

  1    thereof to any person or circumstance is found  to  be  unconstitutional,  the
  2    same  is hereby declared to be severable and the balance of this chapter shall
  3    remain effective notwithstanding  such  unconstitutionality.  The  legislature
  4    hereby  declares  that  it would have passed every section of this chapter and
  5    each provision, section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase or word  thereof
  6    irrespective of the fact  that any one (1) or more provision, section, subsec-
  7    tion, sentence, clause, phrase or word be declared unconstitutional.

Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Impact


                      STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
                                
                            RS18112 


     This legislation seeks to make it illegal to coerce or
otherwise force a woman or girl into aborting her baby.  Research
indicates that violence against pregnant women is a serious problem
all across the nation.  Many women report that they were coerced
into abortion and have suffered grievous emotional, psychological
and spiritual harm in subsequent years.  This legislation intends
to empower all Idaho mothers to choose life for their pre-born
children by preventing coercion in its most common forms.



                         FISCAL IMPACT

     There is no fiscal impact to the General Fund.







Contact:  
Rep. Bob Nonini    332-1000
Sen. Monty Pearce
Sen. Shirley McKague
Sen. Russ Fulcher
Rep. Mike Moyle
Rep. Pete Nielsen
Rep. Lynn Luker
Rep. Ken Andrus
Rep. Russ Mathews
Rep. Steven Kren
Rep. Curtis Bowers


STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/FISCAL NOTE                         H 654