Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Justice Department Drops Biden-Era Challenge to Idaho Abortion Ban
Politico: Trump Admin Moves To Drop Fight Over Emergency Abortions, Reversing Biden Admin Stance
The Trump administration is dropping a yearslong legal battle with Idaho over the right to an abortion in a medical emergency one day ahead of a major hearing — reversing its stance in one of the highest-profile cases it inherited from the Biden administration. The Boise hospital network St. Luke’s said in a court filing Tuesday that the Justice Department informed the network that it is moving to dismiss the case. (Ollstein, 3/4)
Abortion updates from South Carolina —
ABC4 News: Protests Erupt As SC Bill Seeks To Ban All Abortions, No Exceptions For Rape And Incest
Protesters gathered outside the South Carolina State House on Tuesday during a House hearing on a bill that would prohibit all abortions in the state, with no exceptions for rape, incest, or fetal anomalies. The House is considering a bill that would enact a total abortion ban, making it illegal for doctors to perform abortions except under a very limited set of circumstances. (Carter, 3/4)
The Guardian: Trump Launches Fresh Attacks On US Abortion Rights
The Trump administration has filed paperwork asking the US supreme court to let it join the upcoming oral arguments in a case over South Carolina’s attempt to eradicate Medicaid funding for medical services offered by Planned Parenthood. Although it is already illegal to use federal dollars to pay for abortions, South Carolina’s Republican governor, Henry McMaster, ordered the state department of health to block Planned Parenthood from Medicaid because, McMaster said, “payment of taxpayer funds to abortion clinics, for any purpose, results in the subsidy of abortion and the denial of the right to life”. (Sherman, 3/4)
From Alabama, Wyoming, and Missouri —
The Guardian: Key Court Hearing As Alabama Threatens Prosecutions Over Abortion Support
A bellwether test of states’ ability to prosecute people over abortions that take place across state lines will hold a critical hearing on Wednesday, when Alabama abortion rights supporters will square off against the state attorney general over his threats to prosecute groups that help women travel for the procedure. (Sherman, 3/5)
WyoFile: House Votes To Override Gordon’s Abortion Bill Veto
The Wyoming House of Representatives voted Tuesday to override Gov. Mark Gordon’s veto of a bill to require patients to undergo a transvaginal ultrasound and a 48-hour waiting period before taking abortion medication. (Mullen, 3/5)
ProPublica: New Missouri Bill Incentivizes Anti-Abortion Donations For Full Tax Credit
In an unprecedented move to funnel more public tax dollars toward groups that oppose abortion, Republican lawmakers in Missouri are advancing a plan to allow residents to donate to pregnancy resource centers instead of paying any state income taxes. The proposal would establish a 100% tax credit, up from 70%, and a $50,000 annual cap per taxpayer. The result: Nearly all Missouri households — except those with the highest incomes — could fully satisfy their state tax bill by redirecting their payment from the state to pregnancy centers. (Kohler, 3/5)
St. Louis Public Radio: Abortion Returns To Columbia Planned Parenthood After 7 Years
As of 8 a.m. Monday morning, abortions were once again available in Columbia. The procedure has been inaccessible to those living in mid-Missouri since the last abortion was performed at the Columbia Planned Parenthood clinic in 2018.But following the passage of Amendment 3 in November, and many of Missouri’s targeted regulations, or TRAP laws, being knocked down by a Jackson County circuit judge in February — the procedure can now be restarted without fear of legal repercussions. (Smith, 3/4)
