In a special session Tuesday, the Iowa legislature voted to ban abortion after about six weeks of pregnancy with some exceptions.
The bill passed with “exclusively Republican support,” after a one-day legislative session, The Associated Press reported. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds said that she would sign the bill into law Friday.
What’s in Iowa’s new 6-week abortion ban?
The legislation prohibits “abortion involving the detection of a fetal heartbeat,” which is typically around six weeks. The New York Times notes that this is “before many women know they are pregnant.” The bill defines a fetal heartbeat as “cardiac activity.”
Currently, abortion is legal up to 20 weeks in Iowa.
The bill provides some exceptions, including in cases of rape, incest or if the life of the pregnant woman is endangered.
In cases of rape, an abortion will only be provided if it was reported to law enforcement or a health provider within 45 days. For incest, it must be reported within 145 days, according to The Associated Press.
What happens next?
The roughly six-week abortion ban will go into effect immediately after Reynolds signs the bill.
However, the ACLU of Iowa and Planned Parenthood indicated their intentions file legal challenges in court to get the bill blocked.
“The ACLU of Iowa, Planned Parenthood, and the Emma Goldman Clinic remain committed to protecting the reproductive rights of Iowans to control their bodies and their lives, their health, and their safety — including filing a lawsuit to block this reckless, cruel law,” ACLU of Iowa Executive Director Mark Stringer stated, per AP.
What other states have passed ‘heartbeat bills’?
If passed, Iowa’s “heartbeat bill” will join other states in banning abortion after roughly six weeks. Below is a list of states that have passed six-week abortion bans, or “heartbeat bills,” according to ABC News:
- Alabama.
- Georgia.
- Kentucky.
- Louisiana.
- Missouri.
- North Dakota.
- Texas.
Ohio and South Carolina have also passed six-week abortion bills but are both facing legal challenges.