Bill Restricting Abortion Payments Heads To The House

The House State Affairs Committee approved the bill Monday along party lines. The measure already passed the Senate and now goes to the full House. The federal health reform approved by Congress last year requires so-called insurance exchanges set up in states to cover elective abortions. But the law also allows states to opt out of requiring elective abortion coverage. Republicans behind the Idaho legislation say it would ban abortion coverage in the exchanges except in cases of rape, incest or when the mother's life was in jeopardy. It still allows women to purchase coverage for elective abortions from private insurers. Arizona, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee have similar bills in place.