House education committee backs bill requiring fetal‑development instruction in grades 5–12

The Idaho House Committee on Education voted to send Senate Bill 1046 as amended to the House floor with a due‑pass recommendation after a contentious hearing that divided committee members, parents and health‑care commenters.

Supporters said SB 1046 would add required instruction on human growth and fetal development to existing life‑science courses for grades 5 through 12 beginning in the 2025–26 school year. Opponents said the measure effectively converts material covered in health/sex‑education into required classroom material without a clear parental opt‑in or opt‑out process and raised concerns about the accuracy of a commonly cited example video.

Sen. Sarah Nichols, the Senate sponsor, told the committee the bill would “ensure that students are equipped with a more detailed, scientifically accurate understanding of the stages of life” and said the instruction would be presented with tools such as “high‑definition ultrasound video and computer‑generated animation” that show development “from fertilization to birth.” "A fetus is a living human being from the moment of conception," Nichols said during her presentation.

Rep. Heather Scott,…