On Friday afternoon Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds signed Senate File 359 into law, effectively banning almost all abortion care in the state. CNN reports:
The legislation, which has been called "the heartbeat bill," has been widely described as the nation's most restrictive abortion ban.
Iowa's Republican-controlled legislature
passed the legislation earlier this week. The legislation,
Senate File 359, states that except in medical emergencies, doctors are not allowed to perform an abortion before testing for a fetal heartbeat. It requires a physician to notify the woman seeking an abortion in writing whether a heartbeat is detected and that abortion is barred in the event that it is detected.
A fetal heartbeat can be detected as early as six weeks—a time when most people don’t even know they’re pregnant. This law is clearly an attempt to essentially outlaw abortion, which is why Planned Parenthood Voters of Iowa says that this restriction is unconstitutional. In a statement, public affairs director of Planned Parenthood of the Heartland Erin Davison-Rippey said:
By passing an intentionally unconstitutional bill, Iowa Republicans have declared that they do not care about the foundational values of our state, or Iowa’s future. They do not care how much taxpayer money will be spent on a lawsuit, they don’t care how many women’s lives will be damaged because of inadequate access to care, or how many families may choose to go elsewhere because Iowa is no longer a state where they are safe to live and work. Plain and simple, the Republican caucus is out of control, and Iowans should be outraged that these politicians once again put their personal politics above health and common sense.
The law, which is the most restrictive anti-abortion legislation in the country, is poised to take effect on July 1 if it isn’t taken down by legal challenges.