Idaho Reports airs Friday at 8 pm on Idaho Public Television.

Idaho was in the national spotlight this week with oral arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court on whether the state’s abortion ban conflicts with federal law that requires stabilization for emergency room patients. Senate Minority Leader Melissa Wintrow and Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador share their takes on the hearing and what comes next.

SCOTUS hears arguments on Idaho abortion law

The U.S. Department of Justice sued the state in 2022 after Idaho’s near-total abortion ban went into place following the overturning of Roe v Wade, saying the strict regulation could put the life of a mother in danger. The DOJ cited the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, or EMTALA, which is a federal law requiring hospitals that accept federal funds to treat all patients regardless of their ability to pay.

That law mandates a hospital must stabilize a patient at an emergency room. The federal government argues in some cases, terminating a pregnancy may be necessary to stabilize a patient even if her life isn’t immediately in danger. The Idaho Attorney General’s Office argues that the state law does allow a physician to perform an abortion when a patient’s life is in danger.

How Idaho's Ban on Gender-Affirming Care for Minors Affects Families and Doctors

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The U.S. Supreme Court last week allowed an Idaho law to take effect that bans gender-affirming care for transgender minors while litigation over the statute moves through the courts. Associate producer Logan Finney sits down with Dr. Marvin Alviso, a family medicine doctor in Boise who offers gender-affirming care for minors, to discuss what that medical care looks like and how the landscape is changing now that the law is in effect.

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Vocational Rehabilitation predicts service waitlists, other issues due to budget shortfall

The Division of Vocational Rehabilitation administrator said budgeting issues may lead to waitlists for services and programs for Idahoans with disabilities, as well as administrative problems for councils and commissions that receive their funding through the division.

In case you missed it:

Legislative counsel says Medicaid waiver bill won’t disrupt services

In an April 12 letter obtained by Idaho Reports, legislative attorney Elizabeth Bowen wrote to lawmakers that House Bill 398 regarding Medicaid waivers should not disrupt current services for Idahoans, contradicting concerns from Gov. Brad Little.

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