The University of Idaho’s general counsel issued new guidance on Friday about the state’s near-total abortion ban, alerting faculty and staff that the school should no longer offer birth control for students, a rare move for a state university.
University employees were also advised not to speak in support of abortion at work. If an employee appears to promote abortion, counsel in favor of abortion, or refer a student for an abortion procedure, they could face a felony conviction and be permanently barred from all future state employment, according to an email obtained by The Washington Post.
Idaho’s trigger ban took effect on Aug. 25, approximately two months after the Supreme Court reversed Roe v. Wade. That law, which was passed by state lawmakers in 2020, bans abortions at any time after conception, except in instances where the pregnant person’s life is at risk or in cases of rape or incest so long as the crime was reported to law enforcement.
The guidance from the general counsel also cited a section of the Idaho penal code passed in the 1970s.
“In this new and evolving legal landscape, how these laws will be enforced remains unclear,” the University of Idaho’s general counsel wrote in the Sept. 23 message to all university employees. “Accordingly, the university and its employees should be aware of the potential risks and penalties associated with conduct that may be perceived to violate the laws.”
Because the language of the law is “unclear and untested,” the...
Zack Polanski, leader of the Green Party, has faced renewed scrutiny after claiming there are “definitely examples” of the Israeli government using “false flags”, as divisions over Israel and Zion...