Lawsuit claims Idaho's 'physicians-only' abortion law is unconstitutional

TWIN FALLS — A legal challenge to an Idaho law limiting who can perform abortions could make abortion services more accessible for Magic Valley residents if it is successful, proponents say.

The lawsuit, filed Dec. 14 by Planned Parenthood and the Seattle-based advocacy group Legal Voice, argues that Idaho’s law requiring abortions to be performed by a licensed physician is unconstitutional.

The suit points to research demonstrating that advanced practice clinicians — a class of medical professional that includes nurse practitioners, physician assistants and nurse midwives — are medically qualified to “safely and effectively” provide abortion care as well.

Idaho is one of 42 states with such a requirement, according to data from the Guttmacher Institute. It’s the second state to have the law challenged in court after Planned Parenthood filed a similar lawsuit in Maine in 2017.

Read more: https://magicvalley.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/lawsuit-claims-idaho-s-physicians-only-abortion-law-is-unconstitutional/article_08aac1e4-179c-5b2c-8af7-f8ef0fd25330.html