Six university professors and two teachers unions in the Gem State are challenging the 2021 No Public Funds for Abortion Act that bans public employees from promoting abortion or referring a patient for abortion services.The law explicitly states that"no part of any tuition or fees paid to a public institution of higher education shall be used in any way" to promote or fund abortion treatment or to train healthcare providers to perform the controversial procedure.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Idaho, representing the plaintiffs in the case, argues that the law"has shut down academic inquiry about abortion — one of today’s most urgent social, moral, and political issues — across university classrooms and campuses in the state." It’s vital for Idaho’s public universities to have autonomy in fostering vibrant debate on their campuses, free from government interference. Idaho’s abortion censorship law directly undermines that autonomy. #idpol #idleg https://t.co/HXLpjQE2O4
“The ‘No Public Funds For Abortion Act’ simply does not infringe on academic speech protected by the First Amendment," Conzatti said,"including classroom discussion on the topics related to abortion."