Iowa to convene special session to pass abortion restrictions
Republican lawmakers want to again test Supreme Court for fetal heartbeat law
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds called a special session for the state legislature that will convene on Tuesday to discuss and possibly pass a 6-week ban on abortion once a fetal heartbeat is detected.
A previous law that had legislated the same rules had been nullified by the Supreme Court because of procedural issues in a 3-3 vote. Antiabortion lawmakers in Iowa realized that a new law that passed procedural muster could possibly stand a constitutional test if it was once again placed before the highest judicial body in the state. April Clark, a board member of the Iowa Abortion Access Fund, spoke about the possibility.
“It's a very conservative court,” Clark said. “So I'm kind of thinking that they will probably uphold it. No way to know for sure until it goes through. But that's kind of what it sounds like.”
The first time the law was evaluated, it was struck down because it placed an undue burden on the patient to get an abortion. Politicians changed the wording of a newer law, and it passed a constitutional test.
“It sounds like that won't be the same standard,” Clark said. “So it'll be easier to pass restrictions. So that's why we're thinking that it might stay in place.”
The state legislature is overwhelmingly Republican, so Clark said that the ban will likely pass and be enacted into law once Reynolds signs it. There is also a 24-hour waiting period. So all the appointments will have to happen before 6 weeks. Most women don’t know they’re pregnant that early. It can take up to 13 weeks before a woman senses it.
“They're gonna have to realize they're pregnant, be able to get into an appointment, and get funding, transportation, time off work, childcare, all of that stuff, figure it out, and hope that they're early enough and that they can get a second appointment before they would be too far along as well,” Clark said.
People can visit this website to donate to the Iowa Abortion Access Fund.