Editor’s Note: Prior to Governor Reynolds’s signature, Planned Parenthood of the Heartland, the Emma Goldman Clinic, and the ACLU of Iowa have petitioned a Polk County District Court to temporarily suspend the law’s implementation and to convene a hearing on the merits of permanently enjoining its enforcement.
In response to the June 16th tie vote in the Iowa Supreme Court, which left abortion legal up until 20 weeks, pro-life Governor Kim Reynolds called legislators back for a special legislative session. Yesterday, in an emotionally charged session that spanned several hours, the Heartbeat bill was passed by a margin of 56 to 34 in the House and 32 to 17 in the Senate.
The Des Moines Register reports that Republicans advanced the bill through the entire legislative process in just under 15 hours.
The governor has indicated her intention to sign the bill this Friday, with the legislation taking effect immediately.
In a move that has been met with criticism, Governor Reynolds has sought to impose restrictions on abortion in Iowa. This comes weeks after the state’s Supreme Court declined to lift a block on the state’s 2018 six-week abortion ban, deadlocking in a 3-3 vote whether to overturn a lower court decision that deemed the law unconstitutional. This was reported by Shawna Mizelle and Jack Forrest for CNN.
Following the votes, Gov. Reynolds said
“Today, the Iowa legislature once again voted to protect life and end abortion at a heartbeat, with exceptions for rape, incest, and life of the mother.
“The Iowa Supreme Court questioned whether this legislature would pass the same law they did in 2018, and today they have a clear answer. The voices of Iowans and their democratically elected representatives cannot be ignored any longer, and justice for the unborn should not be delayed.”
She added
“As a pro-life Governor, I am also committed to continuing policies to support women in planning for motherhood, promote the importance of fatherhood, and encourage strong families. Our state and country will be stronger because of it.”
Those in favor of the pro-life position expressed their strong support for the bill. Representative Shannon Lundgren asserted that the bill “protects unborn children in Iowa.” The bill establishes a clear standard where the state has an interest in the life of the child, namely, when the baby’s heart begins to beat. The presence of a heartbeat is indicative of life.
In a personal testimony, Representative Luana Stoltenberg recounted her own experiences with three abortions.
“I was informed that the fetus was merely a blob of tissue, that the procedure was straightforward, and that it was safe,” she stated. “That was a falsehood. The aforementioned abortions resulted in the inability to conceive children. Every day, I live with the knowledge that I have taken the life of the only child I would ever have.
Terry Pollard is the pastor of the Des Moines’ Eastside Church of the Nazarene. “Human life is of the greatest value to God, the creator of life,” he stated. “Furthermore, it should be of value to us as moral beings who possess life.” Life is a gift from God, as God is the giver of life. The sanctity of human life confers inviolable and equal value upon every life.
In a statement released on July 7, Speaker of the House Pat Grassley asserted that Iowans are aware that the state will defend life and has grown its majority in this regard.
It is evident that those Democrats who are in favor of abortion were uniformly opposed to the Heartbeat Bill. In her remarks, Representative Elinor Levin asserted that “no government should ever have the power to force a human to go through a pregnancy and give birth.”
BACKGROUND
Judge Celene Gogerty said no to reinstating the law. This left in place the 2019 injunction from Judge Michael Huppert. Last summer, the Iowa Supreme Court said there is no fundamental right to abortion under the Iowa Constitution. They did so one week before the United States Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
With the door open to reviving the “fetal heartbeat” law, lawyers for Governor Reynolds filed a motion asking the trial court to lift the injunction. They argued that the court has the authority to modify or vacate an injunction if there has been a change in the facts or law.
Judge Gogerty said she couldn’t change the permanent injunction on the law. Governor Reynolds quickly appealed the decision. The case went to the Iowa Supreme Court, where the justices were split. The bill is similar but not the same as the 2018 law.
Chelsea Garcia is a political writer with a special interest in international relations and social issues. Events surrounding the war in Ukraine and the war in Israel are a major focus for political journalists. But as a former local reporter, she is also interested in national politics.
Chelsea Garcia studied media, communication and political science in Texas, USA, and learned the journalistic trade during an internship at a daily newspaper. In addition to her political writing, she is pursuing a master's degree in multimedia and writing at Texas.
