Supreme Court lets Idaho enforce abortion ban for now and agrees to hear case

Washington — The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to let Idaho enforce its near-total ban on abortion in certain emergency medical situations while legal proceedings continue and said it will take up the dispute involving whether the Biden administration can require under federal law hospitals in states that ban abortion to perform the procedure on pregnant patients whose lives are at risk.

The question raised in the case is whether that law, the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, preempts state laws restricting access to abortion. The dispute, between the Biden administration and the state of Idaho, is one of several involving abortion that has arisen following the Supreme Court's landmark decision unwinding the constitutional right to abortion.

The Supreme Court said in a brief order that it would put on hold a lower court ruling that blocked Idaho from enforcing its abortion ban in certain medical emergencies until it issues a decision in the case. Arguments will be heard in its April session.