In the final hours of the just-concluded legislative session, Iowa lawmakers passed an unnecessary and burdensome bill that will further inhibit abortion access in the state.
In the middle of the night on Saturday, the Iowa House added a waiting period provision onto an existing bill, and the Senate worked overnight to pass it into law just after 5 a.m. Sunday.
This so-called “waiting period” law will require patients seeking abortion services to visit a clinic for an unnecessary appointment 24 hours prior to their procedure. This means patients, many of whom must travel long distances to access services, must spend more time and money to access this constitutionally protected procedure. Additionally, adding this waiting period can delay abortion care, intensifying the risks associated with the procedure and drastically increasing its cost.
Laws intended to curb access to abortion of course clash with Supreme Court decisions that have recognized a woman’s right to choose, but they also restrict the personal decisions of all, based on the religious beliefs of the few. This is an abhorrent violation of our rights of conscience.
This last-minute maneuver to undermine reproductive freedom for Iowans cannot go unanswered. Please contact Gov. Kim Reynolds and urge her to veto this bill. Click on the red “Take Action” link below and feel free to use or adapt the talking points provided.
