Lawmakers in Iowa introduced a new bill during their special lgislative session that would protect babies from abortions.
Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds has called for a special session of the state legislature to pass a new law protecting babies from abortions. Members of the legislature responded to that call by filing a new heartbeat bill that would make Iowa the next state to provide legal protection to babies before birth.
The governor’s call came after the Iowa Supreme Court, in a narrow 3-3 decision, struck down a law passed by the legislature before the Dobbs case that would have protected the lives of unborn babies with visual impairments. heartbeat The state court’s decision set parameters the legislature could use to pass a new heartbeat law that would be found constitutional and add Iowa to the list of states that provide legal protections for unborn children .
Next week’s session begins on Tuesday, July 11.
“Iowans have elected representatives who are willing to stand up for the rights of the unborn and, in doing so, they voted overwhelmingly in support of pro-life principles and against the arbitrary destruction of innocent, defenseless lives,” Reynolds said Wednesday.
ACTION ALERT: Contact Iowa legislators to drum up support for the heartbeat bill.
Abortion is currently legal up to 20 weeks in Iowa and the new bill would drop that to 6 weeks, when a baby’s heartbeat can be heard on a sonogram.
The current draft of the bill, which could be amended before a vote, includes exceptions for medical emergencies, rape, incest and fetal abnormalities.
While Planned Parenthood and other abortion activists are expected to protest the law, the measure is expected to pass easily in the Republican-controlled legislature. But the abortion business is expected to file another lawsuit against the pro-life law when Governor Reynolds signs it in a desperate attempt to continue to profit from the killing of babies in abortions.
Reynolds’ office challenged a 2019 Iowa Supreme Court ruling that blocked the law, which protects unborn babies by banning most abortions once the unborn’s heartbeat is detected. baby, about six weeks of pregnancy. He hopes the state’s highest court will reverse its previous ruling blocking the law in light of the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision that allowed states to protect babies from abortions.
Instead, the Iowa Supreme Court upheld a 2019 district court decision that blocked the law. The court has seven members but one justice declined to participate because his former law firm represented an abortionist.
Justice Thomas Waterman wrote for the three justices who voted to block the pro-life law.
“In our view it is bringing legislation from the bench to take a law that was dead when it was enacted and mandated for four years and then apply it,” he said.
The decision means Iowa will have to pass a new law protecting babies from abortions. That is more likely to be upheld after the Dobbs decision and the Iowa Supreme Court’s decision affirming that there is no right to an abortion.
Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel Chris Schandevel confirmed that the decision means Iowa could pass a new heartbeat law that protects babies who can stand up.
“States have the strongest possible interest in protecting the most basic of human rights—the right to life. Iowans are eager to prove that life is a human right, which is why the legislature passed the fetal heartbeat law five years ago,” he explained.
“Iowans are sure to be disappointed with today’s result, and rightfully so. But even the three justices who voted against Iowa’s fetal heartbeat law agreed that the same law, which was passed again today, could be allowed to go into effect,’ he told LifeNews. “It’s time for the Iowa Legislature to act—again—to protect life. The legislature should redouble life-saving efforts to enshrine in law additional protections for unborn children. Iowa women deserve the dignity and respect that comes from receiving life-sustaining health care—not the abortion industry’s false choice between doing what’s best for the mother and protecting the life of her child. ”
“The reversal of Roe v. Wade last year was just the beginning,” said Reynolds. “And since then, we’ve seen some in our movement align with abortion extremists. Not in Iowa and not on my watch.”
He said that a child’s right to life is “the most important freedom of all.”
“I’m always going to be front and center in this fight,” Reynolds said. “I will not rest until the Iowa courts finally allow the will of the people to take effect, until every unborn child has the opportunity to experience the greatest gift our Lord has given us: alive.”
In 2020, 4,058 abortions were reported in the state, according to the Charlotte Lozier Institute.
In June, the US Supreme Court was overruled Roe v. Wade in a historic victory for life and restored the power to legalize abortion among the people. Because of Dobbs against Jacksonstates may protect unborn babies from abortion for the first time in nearly 50 years.
ACTION ALERT: Contact Iowa legislators to drum up support for the heartbeat bill.
