Idaho Governor Brad Little (R) recently signed a bill that requires students to learn about human development and see ultrasounds.
Senate Bill 1046 amends the state code to “provide for human growth and development instruction in public schools.”
“Beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, each school district, specially chartered district, and public charter school serving students in grades 5 through 12 inclusive, or any combination thereof, shall include instruction on human growth and development,” the legislation says. Instruction will include a “high-definition ultrasound video” lasting at least three minutes that shows the “development of the brain, heart, sex organs, and other vital organs in early fetal development.”
Students will also see a “high-quality, computer-generated rendering or animation showing the process of fertilization and every state of human development inside the uterus, noting significant markers in cell growth and organ development for every week of pregnancy until birth.”
The material is to be included in “every class that discusses or provides instruction concerning human biology, discusses or provides instruction concerning contraception, or discusses or provides instruction concerning sexually transmitted diseases or sexually transmitted infections.”
The law goes into effect on July 1.
Pro-life activist Lila Rose celebrated the law, saying human development is a “fundamental aspect of science education.”
“This is a significant step toward equipping Idaho’s students with accurate, necessary, and scientifically accurate information regarding human life in the womb,” she added.
The bill’s lead sponsor, State Senator Tammy Nichols, said in a statement obtained by pro-life organization Live Action that the signing of the legislation is a “vital victory for life, ensuring that Idaho students are educated about the sanctity of life from conception. By teaching students about fetal development and the biological processes that begin at fertilization, this legislation helps instill a profound respect for life, encourages future generations to recognize the value of the unborn, and lays the groundwork for creating a cultural shift that values and protects life at all stages.”
North Dakota and Tennessee both have similar laws.
