Hundreds Rally to Restore Reproductive Freedoms in Idaho with 2026 Ballot Measure

On June 28, 2025, hundreds of people who support reproductive rights met outside of the Idaho State Capitol. They started a citizen-led effort to restore and protect reproductive freedoms through the Reproductive Freedom & Privacy Act. 

The goal of the effort is to protect access to abortion, emergency medical care for problems during pregnancy, birth control, emergency birth control, and IVF in Idaho. The goal is to have the bill on the ballot in November 2026.

Idahoans United for Women and Families hosted the "Rise & Sign Rally," marking the official start of the statewide signing drive. Melanie Folwell, who runs the organizing group, said, "Today's rally is just the beginning." "The people of Idaho are ready to stand up, sign, and reclaim their right to make deeply personal medical decisions without the help of politicians."

Between July 8 and July 21, Idahoans United will hold 11 events across the state to collect signatures. At these events, volunteers will engage with voters, gather petition signatures, and foster support for the cause. Proponents say that the current bans on abortion put pregnant women in danger and keep families from getting the care they need.

People from Idaho told powerful personal stories at the protest on Saturday. Kate Campbell-Covell, who is expecting her third child and is already a mother of two, talked about how Idaho's strict abortion rules made her pregnancy a medical emergency. "They told me to wait until I got worse before I could get help," she said. "My life was in danger because politicians did not care about medical facts." Laws that prioritize politics over patients are not what we need. We need laws that trust doctors and women.

People who support the proposal say that the Reproductive Freedom & Privacy Act would make abortion legal again in Idaho. This would bring state law in line with best medical practices and ensure that all Idahoans can still access reproductive health care.