Iowa lawmakers convene special session, pass 6-week abortion ban.

Iowa Governor Calls Special Session to Protect Unborn Babies

In a bold move, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds has convened a special session of the state legislature to strengthen protection for unborn babies. The session aims to approve a measure that would implement a six-week abortion ban, providing crucial legal safeguards for the unborn.

This development comes after the Iowa Supreme Court failed to reach a decision on the enforceability of the state’s existing six-week ban, which was enacted in 2018 but blocked by a lower court judge. With this new legislation, abortion would be prohibited once a fetal cardiac activity is detected, commonly referred to as a fetal heartbeat, which typically occurs around the six-week mark of pregnancy.

Currently, abortion is legal in Iowa until the 20-week mark of pregnancy. However, Governor Reynolds is determined to change that. She has called for a marathon one-day special session with the sole purpose of implementing this crucial protection measure. Once the bill is signed into law, it will take immediate effect.

“Iowans deserve to have their legislative body address the issue of abortion expeditiously, and all unborn children deserve to have their lives protected by the government as the fetal heartbeat law did,” stated Governor Reynolds in an order calling state lawmakers to meet on July 11 to address the matter of reimposing the restriction on abortion.

This proposed law would mark a significant victory for pro-life advocates in the Midwest, where neighboring states like Missouri, South Dakota, and Wisconsin have already implemented restrictions on abortion. However, legal challenges are currently underway against Wisconsin’s ban.

In an official statement announcing the special session, Governor Reynolds strongly condemned the act of abortion, emphasizing the “inhumanity” associated with it. She affirmed that Iowa lawmakers are committed to ensuring legal protection for the unborn and will persist in their efforts.

‘Doesn’t a Beating Heart Indicate Life?’

The legislation being considered during the special session on Tuesday closely mirrors a previous measure signed into law by Governor Reynolds in 20