Iowa House passes new bill limiting abortion

DES MOINES, Iowa (KCRG) – Following a lengthy special session that took virtually all of Tuesday to complete, the Iowa House passed a bill that would prohibit abortion once cardiac activity was detected.

Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds ordered the rare session after the state Supreme Court declined to reinstate a law she signed in 2018 that is practically identical to the one that was proposed Tuesday.

Shortly after 9:00 pm, the Iowa House passed its version of the bill 56-34, with 10 members abstaining from the vote.

Abortion is currently legal in Iowa up to 20 weeks of pregnancy. But if the Senate passes its version, it will be illegal to have an abortion once cardiac activity can be detected, once Governor Reynolds signs off on the legislation.

Cardiac occurs usually around six weeks of pregnancy and before many women know they are pregnant.

The bill includes exemptions for rape, incest, miscarriages, and medical emergencies that threaten the life of the mother. In the bill, rape would need to be reported within 45 days and incest would need to be reported within 140 days.

Civil rights groups opposed to abortion restrictions set up booths in the Capitol earlier in the day. Chants from abortion advocates echoed through the rotunda as a public hearing was underway.

“Health care is a human right. All people should be able to make decisions about their own bodies,” said demonstrator Tim Rutledge, of Des Moines, alongside his 8-year-old son. “The fact that our governor and elected officials cannot – or do not – recognize this is unconscionable.”

The bill is likely to face a long legal battle once the Senate passes its version and Governor signs it.

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