Dear legislators: Thanks for protecting Idahoans
An open letter to Idaho’s legislators:
Once again, you spent your time and citizens’ tax dollar to pass laws that make sense and help Idaho operate more efficiently.
On July 1, 2016, the local newspaper detailed six new laws that were effective as of that date. There were two in particular I found interesting:
1. Permitless carry — The state of Idaho is just one of 10 states that doesn’t require concealed carry permits for people 21 and over. Great. However, there is no training requirement attached to this law. So here’s the scenario I envision: I’m in a large, busy retail store. Some unstable person comes in with an assault weapon to carry out his personal manifesto and starts shooting people. The guy next to me has a gun on him and decides to “help” with the situation, but has no gun safety training. He pulls out his gun and fumbles it, and before he is prepared the gun goes off and accidently shoots and kills a mom who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Or, he hits some innocent kid with a stray bullet. Or, he shoots me.
Really, legislators? If you are going to give people the privilege to carry a concealed weapon, then do the responsible thing and at least require them to be certified in gun safety/gun use training. Thanks for making our state safer.
2. Abortion limits — It will soon be illegal to buy, sell or donate fetal tissue even though no such practice exists in the state. So a law was passed for a non-existent problem. The law is a response to undercover videos released last summer that alleged Planned Parenthood officials were selling fetal tissue for profit. It was later determined the videos were altered and a grand jury in Texas cleared Planned Parenthood officials. So the law was passed for a non-existent problem based on an altered video from another state.
Meanwhile, women seeking an abortion will now be given a list of free ultrasound providers — typically owned by anti-abortion advocates. Must I remind you, legislators, in 1971 the Roe v. Wade case was upheld by the Supreme Court giving a woman and her doctor the right to choose an abortion.
In a subsequent article dated Aug. 3, 2016, a press release out of Boise states: Idaho health officials have released a list of providers that offer ultrasounds for women seeking abortions as required under a newly enacted law. The 11 ultrasound providers that requested to be included on the list primarily are crisis pregnancy centers, which often are run by religiously affiliated groups and discourage women from getting abortions. Let me get this straight: Women who have made the very emotional decision to get an abortion are going to be bombarded, by law, with anti-abortion literature and ultrasound providers who discourage abortions.
Idaho’s health agency says it has not inspected or certified the centers. There’s no registry for this type of equipment in Idaho. Anyone can own and operate one. So, women seeking an abortion in Idaho will be given a list of ultrasound providers, which the legislators apparently believed to be a sound decision, but these centers do not have to be inspected or certified and anyone can operate them.
Furthermore, state officials have posted a warning that the information the centers provide should not be used as medical advice and is not endorsed by the state. The list will be updated annually each Jan. 1. Therefore, the state is mandating the information about these ultrasound centers be provided to woman, but the state warns this information should not be used as medical advice and is not endorsed by the state. Way to cover your backsides, legislators. But, in the meantime, the list will be updated annually at taxpayer expense.
This law is absolutely ridiculous and was a waste of time on the part of the legislators enacting the law. Not only is the law contradictory, but adds to the paper mill involved in getting a legal abortion. Most importantly, the law adds stress and unnecessary emotional burden on women seeking to make this most difficult decision. All because the conservative, Republican legislators in our state wanted to push their religious beliefs on the population of the entire state. Have you never heard of separation of church and state?
Congratulations for using your astute brilliance and common sense in passing laws to protect the citizens of our state.
MAUREEN TILLBERG
Sandpoint