Despite opposition from level-headed Republicans like North Idaho senators John Goedde, Joyce Broadsword, Jim Hammond and Shawn Keough, legislation approved by the Senate and now awaiting passage in the House would carry governmental intrusion literally into the wombs of pregnant women. The goal of the legislation, backed by Right to Life of Idaho, is to have women see ultrasound images of the fetus they're carrying in hopes that they'll then decide not to terminate the pregnancy. But the application goes beyond the line where governmental authority should end and an individual's rights begin.

Because abdominal ultrasounds are unreliable in detecting fetal heartbeats during the early stages of pregnancy, medical experts say Idaho's law will frequently require vaginal ultrasounds. Abdominal ultrasounds are medically invasive enough to raise questions of government intrusion; vaginal ultrasounds manage to take that invasiveness even further.

This raises more than moral questions; legal and financial ramifications are left dangling.

Clearly, the legislation continues Idaho's attempts to erode Roe v. Wade. Last year, the Legislature adopted a measure that prohibits abortions after the fetus reaches 20 weeks of gestation. The state's approach apparently is, if you can't beat a federal law, nibble away at the corners until the law collapses. No doubt, this trespassing into individuals' rights will bring litigation and with it, cost to Idaho taxpayers.

Speaking of costs, the legislation requires the ultrasounds to be paid for by the women receiving them. Backers of the bill weren't merely satisfied with vaginal intrusion; apparently they wanted forced entry into the women's bank accounts, too.

We join the voices of many Idaho residents from all political backgrounds asking House members to stop the governmental assault on individual rights and the sanctity of their privacy. Abort SB 1387.