Tensions flare as Iowa Legislature debates 6-week abortion ban in special session

The Iowa Legislature witnessed escalating tensions on Tuesday during a special session dedicated solely to discussing abortion limitations. Republican lawmakers have been endeavoring to establish a new restriction, aiming to prohibit nearly all abortions following approximately six weeks of pregnancy.

A long day of committee gatherings, floor debates, and votes in both legislative chambers is expected to stretch late into the night. The vast majority of those protesting at the Capitol throughout the day vociferously opposed the proposed legislation.

Following the state Supreme Court’s refusal to reinstate a virtually identical law she signed in 2018, Republican Governor Kim Reynolds called for the unusual session. As it stands, abortion in Iowa is legal up to 20 weeks of pregnancy.

The proposed bill, similar to the 2018 law, seeks to ban abortion once a heartbeat can be detected, typically around the six-week mark of pregnancy, often before many women realize they are pregnant.

Voices of abortion supporters reverberated throughout the rotunda and were audible in the rooms where state legislators convened in the morning and afternoon. Public members, both for and against the proposed bill, alternately presented their perspectives to legislators across nearly four hours in total.

Sara Eide from the Iowa Catholic Conference appealed to the lawmakers to vote in favor, arguing for the protection of vulnerable populations. Meanwhile, fertility nurse Hilary McAdoo argued against the six-week cutoff, calling it “impossible and irresponsible,” motivated by her two daughters.

The bill has faced criticism from Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst who objected to the urgent approach of Republican lawmakers, calling for a more thorough debate.

The 2018 law was deemed unconstitutional in 2019 based on affirmations of a woman’s fundamental constitutional right to abortion by the U.S. Supreme Court and Iowa’s Supreme Court. Following a deadlock last month, the governor called lawmakers back to Des Moines.

Maggie DeWitte, the executive director of anti-abortion organization Pulse Life Advocates, supported the bill, asserting its time had come.

Under the proposed measure, limited circumstances such as rape, incest, life-threatening fetal abnormalities, and endangerment to the life of the pregnant woman would allow for an abortion beyond the six-week mark.

Democrats proposed amendments to widen the exceptions, but they were quickly dismissed. If passed, the bill is intended to take effect immediately upon the governor’s approval. In response, Planned Parenthood North Central States plans to swiftly challenge the law in court.

Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade last year, Republican-led states have significantly curtailed abortion access. More than a dozen states now have bans with limited exceptions. Georgia, for instance, prohibits abortion after cardiac activity is detected, and several other states have similar restrictions pending court decisions.

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More about Iowa abortion ban

• Iowa Abortion Laws
• Roe v. Wade Supreme Court Case
• Recent Developments in U.S. Abortion Laws
• The Planned Parenthood North Central States