Protestors fill the Iowa State Capitol rotunda, because the Iowa Legislature convenes for a particular session to go a 6-week ‘fetal heartbeat’ abortion ban Tuesday, July 11, 2023. Zach Boyden-Holmes/The Des Moines Register by way of Related Press
In a particular session Tuesday, the Iowa legislature voted to ban abortion after about six weeks of being pregnant with some exceptions.
The invoice handed with “solely Republican assist,” after a one-day legislative session, The Related Press reported. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds mentioned that she would signal the invoice into legislation Friday.
What’s in Iowa’s new 6-week abortion ban?
The laws prohibits “abortion involving the detection of a fetal heartbeat,” which is often round six weeks. The New York Occasions notes that that is “earlier than many ladies know they're pregnant.” The invoice defines a fetal heartbeat as “cardiac exercise.”
At present, abortion is authorized as much as 20 weeks in Iowa.
The invoice offers some exceptions, together with in circumstances of rape, incest or if the lifetime of the pregnant lady is endangered.
In circumstances of rape, an abortion will solely be supplied if it was reported to legislation enforcement or a well being supplier inside 45 days. For incest, it should be reported inside 145 days, based on The Related Press.
What occurs subsequent?
The roughly six-week abortion ban will go into impact instantly after Reynolds indicators the invoice.
Nevertheless, the ACLU of Iowa and Deliberate Parenthood indicated their intentions file authorized challenges in court docket to get the invoice blocked.
“The ACLU of Iowa, Deliberate Parenthood, and the Emma Goldman Clinic stay dedicated to defending the reproductive rights of Iowans to manage their our bodies and their lives, their well being, and their security — together with submitting a lawsuit to dam this reckless, merciless legislation,” ACLU of Iowa Govt Director Mark Stringer said, per AP.
What different states have handed ‘heartbeat payments’?
If handed, Iowa’s “heartbeat invoice” will be a part of different states in banning abortion after roughly six weeks. Beneath is an inventory of states which have handed six-week abortion bans, or “heartbeat payments,” based on ABC Information:
- Alabama.
- Georgia.
- Kentucky.
- Louisiana.
- Missouri.
- North Dakota.
- Texas.
Ohio and South Carolina have additionally handed six-week abortion payments however are each going through authorized challenges.