Abortion Issues Take Center Stage In House Legislators Of Both Parties Watching Closely To Determine The Political Fallout

After years of working at it, conservative Christian groups finally have managed to get abortion as an issue before the Idaho Legislature.

Three different bills will be before the House State Affairs Committee, and it is likely all three will make it to the House floor for a vote.

But it’s less likely that they will make it through the Senate State Affairs Committee.

In the House, however, every member will have to go on record on key abortion issues. Those who oppose bills tightening abortion restrictions appear to be prime targets of anti-abortion groups in the next election.

House State Affairs Committee Chairman Ron Crane, R-Caldwell, plans to handle each bill separately, setting aside one day for hearings on each. Crane says he’ll try to accommodate everyone who wants to speak unless the number gets out of hand.

In that event, Crane says, he may have to put time restrictions on witnesses.

Expect overflow crowds. In 1990, the last time abortion was a major issue before the Legislature, the hearings were moved to Boise State University. Even the large Jordan Ballroom was filled with people who wanted to take part or watch.

Crane and other members of the House committee plan to stay in the Statehouse or hearing rooms across the street.

“The committee wants to conduct the hearings in a thoughtful, rational manner without allowing it to become a circus atmosphere,” Crane said. “That’s what the public wants us to do - deal with it expeditiously and move on.”

The key bill, a much-revised measure sponsored by the Idaho Family Forum, will be offered for introduction on Tuesday in Crane’s committee. Sponsors have eliminated some provisions that an Idaho attorney general’s opinion said might pose legal problems.

Still included are a requirement for written consent from a parent or guardian of a minor before an abortion can be performed in most cases, an exception to the ban on late-term abortions if a mother’s health is threatened, and tighter requirements for determining when a fetus is viable.

Both parties will be watching closely to determine the political fallout.

Democrats remember the abortion debate eight years ago after which they made their best showing in years in legislative elections. The Senate wound up in a 21-21 tie.

But once the abortion issue faded into the background, it’s been downhill for Democrats. Today, there are only 16 in the Legislature - the party’s smallest representation in generations.

Legislative leaders had kept a tight lid on abortion issues since 1990. Any political fallout from this year’s debate can hardly hurt the Democrats, who have little to lose in any event, but it could damage the Republicans.

Campaign limits unlikely to change

Even with the weight of a high-powered special committee behind the package, it’s unlikely the Legislature will go along with key proposals to tighten controls over campaign finances in Idaho.

The panel was chaired by former Attorney General Jim Jones and included former Gov. Cecil Andrus, former Supreme Court Justice Charles McDevitt, retired District Judge John Bengtson and contractor and former legislator Dean Haagenson.

They suggested halving the new limits on campaign contributions and requiring lawmakers to raise at least 20 percent of their money from within their own districts.

Although the bills were approved for introduction, there was a lot of grumbling from House State Affairs Committee members over them. Because the limits on campaign donations are new, lawmakers think the state should go through at least one full election cycle before changing them.

Legislators also see problems in requiring donations to come from within the lawmakers’ own districts, particularly in rural areas where there are few businesses.

Crane said he’d like to see members of the select committee testify before the Legislature on their recommendations.

But it is uncertain whether that will happen.

Both Andrus and McDevitt ruled their branches of government with strong hands. Lawmakers would like nothing better than to get them before a legislative committee for a grilling.

“Boy, that’s just what I don’t need right now,” said Jones, who has a busy Boise law practice.