Iowa bill seeks more jail time for ending another's pregnancy, defines 'unborn person'
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A bill advancing through the Iowa Legislature would increase the jail time for another person ending a pregnancy without the pregnant person's consent and changes state code to reference an "unborn person."
House Study Bill 621, advanced by a 2-1 vote for consideration by a full committee Tuesday, would allow a person who causes the nonconsensual end of a pregnancy to serve a life sentence with no possibility of parole. Under current law, it can result in up to 25 years served.
The legislation would also result in Iowa law's formal recognition of an "unborn person" — a move that one Republican called "common sense" but that abortion rights advocates warned would stigmatize the procedure.
"This felt like straight-up common sense," said Rep. Skyler Wheeler, R-Hull, who opted to advance the bill.
Mazie Stilwell, director of public affairs for Planned Parenthood Advocates for Iowa, called the legislation "unnecessary" and a "blatant attempt to advance an anti-abortion agenda."
"There's simply no justification for why this bill is necessary," Stilwell said.
More: Inspired by anti-abortion group, Iowa bill would require schools to show pregnancy video
Other opponents, such as the Family Planning Council of Iowa, warned that the bill could "open the door" to restricting access to contraception. Gov. Kim Reynolds has again said she wants to expand availability of contraception, but has run into resistance among Republican lawmakers.
Tom Chapman of the Iowa Catholic Conference, who supports the bill, argued that the legislation was "not an abortion bill," while Danny Carroll of The Family Leader urged lawmakers to keep the "intent" of contraception in mind as they weighed the legislation.
The bill, Rep. Beth Wessel-Kroeschell, D-Ames said, "puts a lot of medical care at risk," and noted that severe penalties already exist.
More: On anniversary of Roe, Kim Reynolds rallies anti-abortion supporters, touts Iowa ban
The Iowa proposal aligns with the longtime "fetal personhood" campaign by anti-abortion advocates for governments to recognize a fetus as a person — therefore granting them the rights and protections guaranteed to people.
Alabama, South Carolina and Oklahoma are among the states that have some form of a fetal personhood statute on the books.
Iowa's ban on abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, passed by lawmakers and signed by Gov. Kim Reynolds last summer, is currently blocked while it moves through the state courts.
Galen Bacharier covers politics for the Register. Reach him at gbacharier@registermedia.com or (573) 219-7440, and follow him on Twitter @galenbacharier.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa bill defines 'unborn person,' opponents call it 'unnecessary'
