Criminal Justice

This bill amends Idaho law to define and criminalize abortion trafficking, which occurs when an adult recruits, harbors, or transports a pregnant minor within the state to conceal an abortion from the minor's parents or guardian. The law applies to anyone who procures or obtains an abortion for the minor, though it explicitly excludes sharing health plan information from this definition. Prosecutors can be bypassed by the attorney general if local officials refuse to enforce the law, and the crime carries a prison sentence of two to five years. Parents or guardians consenting to the trafficking can use this as a legal defense, but the location of the abortion provider outside Idaho does not provide a defense. The bill takes effect on July 1, 2026.

Idaho's H 518 amends state law to expand the Attorney General's role in combating human trafficking. The bill requires the Attorney General to annually report on state anti-trafficking efforts and recommend actions to eradicate trafficking, develop training materials for law enforcement and victim advocates on identifying and prosecuting trafficking cases, and assist local prosecutors upon request. It also grants the Attorney General authority to investigate and prosecute trafficking cases when requested by law enforcement agencies. These changes directly affect state agencies, prosecutors, law enforcement, and victim advocates by standardizing statewide anti-trafficking efforts. The bill passed unanimously in the Idaho House and takes immediate effect.