The Republican-led legislature in Iowa has passed a bill that, if signed into law, will become the nation's most restrictive abortion ban: It forbids doctors from performing the procedure after a fetal heartbeat is detected.

In many cases, that can happen as early as six weeks into a pregnancy, before many women even know they're expecting.

And it's most certainly going to be challenged in court, opponents say.

"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," Planned Parenthood Voters of Iowa said "They do not care how much taxpayer money will be spent on a lawsuit." Lawmakers know it will lead to a legal fight Many lawmakers who support the "heartbeat bill" hope it does lead to a legal battle that winds its way to the highest court of the land. Emboldened by the court's makeup, they think it will help overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision by the Supreme Court that legalized the right to an abortion in all 50 states. "This bill will be the vehicle that will ultimately provide change and provide the opportunity to overturn Roe v. Wade," Sen. Rick Bertrand, a Republican, said during the floor debate . "There's nothing hidden here about the agenda." The Iowa legislation has some exemptions, such as in the case of rape or incest or if a woman's life is at risk. The bill doesn't call for criminal prosecution of a woman getting an abortion, but doesn't include language about what happens to doctors who flout the law. The bill now goes to Gov. Kim Reynolds, a Republican, who hasn't said whether she will sign it. But her spokeswoman told CNN: "Gov. Reynolds is 100% pro-life and will never stop fighting for the unborn."</s>CHICAGO - Lawmakers in the US state of Iowa approved the most restrictive abortion ban in the country Wednesday, hoping for a national reckoning over the divisive issue.

The Midwestern state’s Republican-controlled legislature approved a ban on most abortions when a fetal heartbeat is detected, which can occur as early as six weeks into a pregnancy. There are exceptions for victims of rape or incest.

Women have been able to legally seek an abortion throughout the United States since 1973’s landmark Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade. But the right to reproductive choice remains tenuous as debate rages over the issue, especially in areas where conservative Republicans are in power.

The US Supreme Court in 2016 rejected appeals by both North Dakota and Arkansas to preserve similar “heartbeat” laws, which had been struck down by lower courts. If Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds - a Republican who opposes abortion - signs the measure into law, the heartbeat restriction would likely trigger a court battle.

Some of the bill’s supporters had urged its passage as a way to set up a potential US Supreme Court confrontation over abortion.

They believe that President Donald Trump could appoint a conservative justice to the high court in the next few years, tilting its makeup in their favor by the time a court challenge winds through the legal system.

“Today, we are taking a courageous step... to tell the nation that Iowa will defend its most vulnerable, those without a voice - our unborn children,” state legislator Shannon Lundgren said on the state House floor.

The American Civil Liberties Union condemned the bill’s passage, saying in a statement that it would “take Iowa women back nearly a half century.”

“All we can say right now is that we fought this legislation every step of the way and regret that it has made it this far,” ACLU of Iowa’s spokeswoman Veronica Fowler told AFP.

“It is clearly unconstitutional and it effectively blocks the right (to) an abortion for most women,” she said.</s>DES MOINES, Iowa >> Republican lawmakers with control of the Iowa statehouse fast-tracked a bill early Wednesday that would ban most abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected, usually around six weeks of pregnancy, sending what could be the nation’s most restrictive abortion legislation to the governor.

Critics say the so-called “heartbeat” bill would ban the medical procedure before some women even know they’re pregnant, and it sets the state up for a legal challenge over its constitutionality.

“How dare we think that the privacy and decisions of a woman and her medical choices are up to us to determine?” said Rep. Vicki Lensing, an Iowa City Democrat, during House floor debate that began early afternoon Tuesday and stretched until shortly before midnight. “I am personally offended by this bill that seems to second-guess a woman’s ability to make an unintended and difficult decision.”

The measure was passed with nearly back-to-back chamber votes along party lines, culminating in approval in the Senate shortly after 2 a.m. The bill now heads to Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds, who is anti-abortion but hasn’t said publicly if she will sign it into law. Her press secretary, Brenna Smith, indicated in an email the governor was open to signing it.

“Governor Reynolds is 100 percent pro-life and will never stop fighting for the unborn,” Smith said.

The legislation passed overnight has some exemptions, allowing abortions after a detectable heartbeat in order to save a pregnant woman’s life, and in some cases of rape and incest. Another provision prohibits some uses of fetal tissue, with exemptions for research.

Republicans at the Iowa Capitol have long sought to approve legislation that would further restrict abortion, and their flip of the state Senate chamber in the 2016 election gave them a trifecta of GOP power for the first time in nearly 20 years. Last session, they passed a bill banning most abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy, which is in effect. A provision in that legislation requiring a three-day waiting period for abortions — among the longest wait periods in the country — was challenged in court. It remains on hold amid litigation being considered by the state Supreme Court.

“A baby has become something we can throw away. This bill says it’s time to change the way we think about unborn life,” said Rep. Sandy Salmon, a Janesville Republican.

If passed, the legislation could face challenges claiming it violates U.S. Supreme Court rulings, including Roe v. Wade. Some Republicans say they want the bill to abolish the landmark 1973 ruling that says women have a right to terminate pregnancies until a fetus is viable.

“I would love for the United States Supreme Court to look at this bill and have this as a vehicle to overturn Roe v. Wade,” said Sen. Jake Chapman, a Republican from Adel.

Several states have attempted to advance abortion bans in recent years. Mississippi passed a law earlier this year banning abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, but it’s on hold after a court challenge. A federal appeals court, whose territory includes Iowa, rejected heartbeat bills passed in 2013 in North Dakota and Arkansas. The U.S. Supreme Court then declined to review the cases.</s>Republican legislators sent Iowa's governor a bill early Wednesday that would ban most abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected, usually around six weeks of pregnancy, propelling the state overnight to the front of a push among conservative statehouses jockeying to enact the nation's most restrictive regulations on the procedure.

Critics say the so-called "heartbeat" bill, which now awaits the signature of anti-abortion GOP Gov. Kim Reynolds, would ban abortions before some women even know they're pregnant. That could set up the state for a legal challenge over its constitutionality, including from the same federal appeals court that three years ago struck down similar legislation approved in Arkansas and North Dakota.

Backers of the legislation, which failed to get a single Democratic vote in either Iowa chamber, expressed hope it could challenge Roe vs. Wade, the landmark 1973 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that established women have a right to terminate pregnancies until a fetus is viable. Conservatives say an influx of right-leaning judicial appointments under President Donald Trump could make it a possibility.

"Today we will begin this journey as Iowa becomes ground zero, now nationally, in the life movement," Sen. Rick Bertrand, a Republican from Sioux City, said during floor debate.

Erin Davison-Rippey, a spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood of the Heartland, said in a statement Iowa Republicans "do not care how much taxpayer money will be spent on a lawsuit ... or how many families may choose to go elsewhere because Iowa is no longer a state where they are safe to live and work."

The House began debate over the measure early Tuesday afternoon, voting it out shortly before midnight with six Republicans there opposing it. The Senate then picked it up, with approval shortly after 2 a.m. Wednesday. The nearly back-to-back votes come as Iowa lawmakers are on overtime at the state Capitol, trying to pass a spending budget and tax cuts later this week.

Reynolds declined Wednesday to say whether she'll sign the bill into law. She did note: "I'm pro-life. I'm proud to be pro-life. I've made that very clear."

Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller told reporters Wednesday he's reviewing whether his office would defend the bill if signed into law, acknowledging his staff is reviewing its constitutionality.

"We're considering whether we should recuse ourselves," he said. "We do this very rarely, but we're looking at this case to see whether that should be one of those rare exceptions."

Several states have attempted to advance abortion bans in recent years. Mississippi passed a law earlier this year banning abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, but it's on hold after a court challenge. The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear similar heartbeat bills North Dakota and Arkansas approved in 2013, after they were rejected by the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

A federal court challenge would likely make its way to that appeals court, which has become increasingly conservative during Donald Trump's administration.

Of the 11 active judges on the court, only one Democratic appointment remains. Jane Kelly was named by Barack Obama in 2013. One judge is a Ronald Reagan pick, six were appointees of George W. Bush and three were named to the court by Donald Trump. Two Trump judges replaced Bill Clinton appointees. The third replaced a Bush judge.

The court begrudgingly rejected as unconstitutional the heartbeat bills from North Dakota and Arkansas.

In both cases the appeals court judges made it clear they were only striking down the laws because the U.S. Supreme Court precedent bound them to do so. They strongly suggested that the high court reverse previous abortion rulings by eliminating a federal constitutional right to abortion and allowing states to decide when a fetus is viable.

The Iowa legislation contains some exemptions, including allowing abortions after a detectable heartbeat to save a pregnant woman's life or in some cases of rape and incest. Another provision prohibits some uses of fetal tissue, with exemptions for research. A woman would have to report a rape within 45 days to law enforcement or a physician to qualify for an exemption to the abortion ban. Incest must be reported within 140 days to receive an exemption.

Rep. Mary Wolfe, a Democrat from Clinton, said nothing would stop a woman from lying to a physician, who can't investigate or report the alleged crime. Conversely, she said a child who is raped but delays reporting it until showing signs of pregnancy could be denied an abortion.

The bill provides immunity to women receiving abortions but not to doctors who perform them. Their licenses could be revoked for violations, and prosecutors could consider criminal charges against them. That's not addressed by the bill, a point Democrats criticized.

Iowa Republicans have long sought to approve legislation that would further restrict abortion, and their flip of the state Senate chamber in the 2016 election gave them a trifecta of GOP power for the first time in nearly 20 years. Last session, they passed a bill banning most abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy, which is in effect.

A provision in that legislation requiring a three-day waiting period for abortions — among the longest wait periods in the country — was challenged in court. It remains on hold amid litigation being considered by the state Supreme Court.

Iowa Republicans have indicated the 20-week ban was just the start toward the legislation finalized Wednesday.

"A baby has become something we can throw away. This bill says it's time to change the way we think about unborn life," said Rep. Sandy Salmon, a Janesville Republican.</s>The Republican-led legislature in Iowa has passed a bill that, if signed into law, will become the nation’s most restrictive abortion ban: It forbids doctors from performing the procedure after a fetal heartbeat is detected.

In many cases, that can happen as early as six weeks into a pregnancy, before many women even know they’re expecting.

Right now, Iowa bars most abortions after 20 weeks, already making it one the most restrictive states. But Senate File 359, or the “heartbeat bill,” ups the ante.

And it’s most certainly going to be challenged in court, opponents say.

In 2013, North Dakota passed a similar law that banned abortions after six weeks. The case made its way to the US Supreme Court, where it was blocked permanently.

“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,” Planned Parenthood Voters of Iowa said.

“They do not care how much taxpayer money will be spent on a lawsuit.”

Lawmakers know it will lead to a legal fight

Many lawmakers who support the “heartbeat bill” hope it does lead to a legal battle that winds its way to the highest court of the land. Emboldened by the court’s makeup, they think it will help overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision by the Supreme Court that legalized the right to an abortion in all 50 states.

“This bill will be the vehicle that will ultimately provide change and provide the opportunity to overturn Roe v. Wade,” Sen. Rick Bertrand, a Republican, said during the floor debate. “There’s nothing hidden here about the agenda.”

The Iowa legislation has some exemptions, such as in the case of rape or incest or if a woman’s life is at risk. The bill doesn’t call for criminal prosecution of a woman getting an abortion, but doesn’t include language about what happens to doctors who flout the law.

The bill now goes to Gov. Kim Reynolds, a Republican, who hasn’t said whether she will sign it. But her spokeswoman told CNN: “Gov. Reynolds is 100% pro-life and will never stop fighting for the unborn.”</s>DES MOINES, Iowa >> Republican legislators sent Iowa’s governor a bill early Wednesday that would ban most abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected, usually around six weeks of pregnancy, propelling the state overnight to the front of a push among conservative statehouses jockeying to enact the nation’s most restrictive regulations on the procedure.

Critics say the so-called “heartbeat” bill, which now awaits the signature of anti-abortion GOP Gov. Kim Reynolds, would ban abortions before some women even know they’re pregnant. That could set up the state for a legal challenge over its constitutionality, including from the same federal appeals court that three years ago struck down similar legislation approved in Arkansas and North Dakota.

Backers of the legislation, which failed to get a single Democratic vote in either Iowa chamber, expressed hope it could challenge Roe vs. Wade, the landmark 1973 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that established women have a right to terminate pregnancies until a fetus is viable. Conservatives say an influx of right-leaning judicial appointments under President Donald Trump could make it a possibility.

“Today we will begin this journey as Iowa becomes ground zero, now nationally, in the life movement,” Sen. Rick Bertrand, a Republican from Sioux City, said during floor debate.

Erin Davison-Rippey, a spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood of the Heartland, said in a statement Iowa Republicans “do not care how much taxpayer money will be spent on a lawsuit ... or how many families may choose to go elsewhere because Iowa is no longer a state where they are safe to live and work.”

The House began debate over the measure early Tuesday afternoon, voting it out shortly before midnight with six Republicans there opposing it. The Senate then picked it up, with approval shortly after 2 a.m. Wednesday. The nearly back-to-back votes come as Iowa lawmakers are on overtime at the state Capitol, trying to pass a spending budget and tax cuts later this week.

Reynolds declined Wednesday to say whether she’ll sign the bill into law. She did note: “I’m pro-life. I’m proud to be pro-life. I’ve made that very clear.”

Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller told reporters Wednesday he’s reviewing whether his office would defend the bill if signed into law, acknowledging his staff is reviewing its constitutionality.

“We’re considering whether we should recuse ourselves,” he said. “We do this very rarely, but we’re looking at this case to see whether that should be one of those rare exceptions.”

Several states have attempted to advance abortion bans in recent years. Mississippi passed a law earlier this year banning abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, but it’s on hold after a court challenge. The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear similar heartbeat bills North Dakota and Arkansas approved in 2013, after they were rejected by the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

A federal court challenge would likely make its way to that appeals court, which has become increasingly conservative during Donald Trump’s administration.

Of the 11 active judges on the court, only one Democratic appointment remains. Jane Kelly was named by Barack Obama in 2013. One judge is a Ronald Reagan pick, six were appointees of George W. Bush and three were named to the court by Donald Trump. Two Trump judges replaced Bill Clinton appointees. The third replaced a Bush judge.

The court begrudgingly rejected as unconstitutional the heartbeat bills from North Dakota and Arkansas.

In both cases the appeals court judges made it clear they were only striking down the laws because the U.S. Supreme Court precedent bound them to do so. They strongly suggested that the high court reverse previous abortion rulings by eliminating a federal constitutional right to abortion and allowing states to decide when a fetus is viable.

The Iowa legislation contains some exemptions, including allowing abortions after a detectable heartbeat to save a pregnant woman’s life or in some cases of rape and incest. Another provision prohibits some uses of fetal tissue, with exemptions for research. A woman would have to report a rape within 45 days to law enforcement or a physician to qualify for an exemption to the abortion ban. Incest must be reported within 140 days to receive an exemption.

Rep. Mary Wolfe, a Democrat from Clinton, said nothing would stop a woman from lying to a physician, who can’t investigate or report the alleged crime. Conversely, she said a child who is raped but delays reporting it until showing signs of pregnancy could be denied an abortion.

The bill provides immunity to women receiving abortions but not to doctors who perform them. Their licenses could be revoked for violations, and prosecutors could consider criminal charges against them. That’s not addressed by the bill, a point Democrats criticized.

Iowa Republicans have long sought to approve legislation that would further restrict abortion, and their flip of the state Senate chamber in the 2016 election gave them a trifecta of GOP power for the first time in nearly 20 years. Last session, they passed a bill banning most abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy, which is in effect.

A provision in that legislation requiring a three-day waiting period for abortions — among the longest wait periods in the country — was challenged in court. It remains on hold amid litigation being considered by the state Supreme Court.

Iowa Republicans have indicated the 20-week ban was just the start toward the legislation finalized Wednesday.

“A baby has become something we can throw away. This bill says it’s time to change the way we think about unborn life,” said Rep. Sandy Salmon, a Janesville Republican.

Associated Press reporter David Pitt in Des Moines contributed to this report.</s>Transcript for Iowa could pass one of 'the most restrictive' abortion laws in the US

Lawmakers and Iowa have improved the most strict abortion bill in the country the so called heartbeat bill Bloc's most abortions after fetal heartbeat is detected. Which is typically six weeks into the pregnancy. Critics point out that at six weeks most women don't even know they're pregnant as yet the governor has not said whether she plans to sign that bill.</s>Iowa Republicans admit they hope the U.S. Supreme Court will be forced to take up a bill they passed Wednesday making the state's abortion law the most restrictive in the country. (itrl.idr.iowa.gov)

DES MOINES, Iowa — Iowa is a signature away from the most restrictive abortion law in the nation. 

 

 Republican lawmakers, who control the Iowa statehouse, passed a bill Wednesday that would ban most abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected, which is typically around six weeks of pregnancy. Many women aren't aware they're pregnant that early. 

 

 Erin Davison-Rippy, director of public affairs for Planned Parenthood of the Heartland, said the legislation is unconstitutional, and legislators knew that when they passed it.

 

 "Obviously, this has passed both chambers but has not been signed yet,” Davison-Rippy said. “So we are strongly urging the governor to listen to reason, and we strongly urge her to veto this piece of legislation because it is unconstitutional and dangerous for Iowa women."

 

 Critics of the legislation say it's aimed at triggering a challenge to Roe v. Wade, the U.S. Supreme Court's 1973 landmark decision which established that women have a constitutional right to abortion. If challenged, bill supporters hope the bill will end up before the high court, where the 5-4 conservative majority might sharply curtail abortion access or ban it altogether.

 

 The Supreme Court has declined to hear similar heartbeat bills approved by North Dakota and Arkansas Republicans after they were rejected by the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Davison-Rippey accused Iowa Republicans of not caring how much taxpayer money is spent on a lawsuit over the bill or how many families may decide Iowa is no longer a safe state to live or work.

 

 "This is the most extreme abortion restriction in the entire country,” she said, “and we are embarrassed that a state like Iowa would pass legislation like this."

 

 Recently, Mississippi's Republican governor signed into law a bill that bans abortion after 15 weeks, sparking an immediate court challenge by abortion-rights advocates. Iowa's governor has not said whether she will sign the bill, but has been outspoken in her anti-abortion position.</s>DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - A state-run family planning program that Iowa lawmakers established last year to cut funding for Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers has seen a marked decline in patients and participating health care providers, which critics say shows it's not working as promised by its Republican backers.

Iowa Department of Human Services data obtained by The Associated Press through a public records request show that just over 5,300 people were enrolled in the program as of March 1, compared to roughly 8,200 when it launched July 1.

"It's just showing that the program's not really working. It's not getting to people who need it," said Jodi Tomlonovic, executive director of the Family Planning Council, which receives and distributes separate federal funds to organizations that provide family planning services.

GOP lawmakers gave up millions of dollars in Medicaid funding to launch the program, arguing that the exclusion of organizations like Planned Parenthood would be offset by rural health providers who would step up to offer family planning services such as birth control, pregnancy testing and health screenings.

The newly released data, though incomplete, suggests that's not happening.

In the first three months of the new program, there were about 950 unique health care providers participating. That figure dropped to nearly 560 the next three months, according to the data. The number of services accessed or prescriptions filled also appears to have decreased during that time, from about 2,600 to roughly 1,500.

Separate agency documents obtained by the AP show that the state has paid just $285,000 in claims to health providers from July through March, which covers most of the budget year. The human services department set aside roughly $3 million for the program.

Matt Highland, an agency spokesman, declined to discuss specifics of the latest findings, but he argued that the newly released data don't show a complete picture and pointed out that health providers can still file claims for services provided months ago. He's also noted that enrollment in the program's predecessor had been declining since at least 2013, partly because people changed to coverage under the Affordable Care Act.

State Sen. Joe Bolkcom, an Iowa City Democrat, said the newly released data show it's clear people can't access needed reproductive health care.

"All signs are more war on women policies that place more barriers between a woman and her doctor," he said.

Erin Davison-Rippey, a representative for Planned Parenthood of the Heartland, said the reduction in claims is troubling and questioned why health providers would wait to file claims to get paid. Planned Parenthood, which was the largest recipient of funding under the old family planning program, has closed four of its 12 clinics in Iowa since the new program launched.

"This continues to indicate that health care access for reproductive health has been significantly harmed and impacted," she said.

Tomlonovic said the most recent numbers cannot be solely attributed to the longer-term decline caused by the Affordable Care Act. She said the latest figures followed the earlier release of Department of Human Services data to the AP that showed a nearly 50 percent drop in enrollment compared to the same period in the previous year, when the old system was still in place.

Although the department is collecting raw data, it's not required to report on how the new state-run system is working.

In the final days of the legislative session, the co-chairman of a House committee that approves health funding said that may need to change. State Rep. Dave Heaton, a Mount Pleasant Republican, indicated that he may add language to a budget bill requiring public reporting. But legislation released Thursday appeared to exclude such instructions.

The Republican-led Legislature and governor made the switch to the new system last year even though no state or federal funding was going toward abortions in Iowa. On Wednesday, GOP lawmakers approved a so-called fetal heartbeat bill that would ban most abortions in Iowa at about six weeks of pregnancy, which would make it the strictest in the nation and would almost surely face a legal challenge if signed into law by Gov. Kim Reynolds.</s>DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A state-run family planning program that Iowa lawmakers established last year to cut funding for Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers has seen a marked decline in patients and participating health care providers, which critics say shows it's not working as promised by its Republican backers.

Iowa Department of Human Services data obtained by The Associated Press through a public records request show that just over 5,300 people were enrolled in the program as of March 1, compared to roughly 8,200 when it launched July 1.

"It's just showing that the program's not really working. It's not getting to people who need it," said Jodi Tomlonovic, executive director of the Family Planning Council, which receives and distributes separate federal funds to organizations that provide family planning services.

GOP lawmakers gave up millions of dollars in Medicaid funding to launch the program, arguing that the exclusion of organizations like Planned Parenthood would be offset by rural health providers who would step up to offer family planning services such as birth control, pregnancy testing and health screenings.

The newly released data, though incomplete, suggests that's not happening.

In the first three months of the new program, there were about 950 unique health care providers participating. That figure dropped to nearly 560 the next three months, according to the data. The number of services accessed or prescriptions filled also appears to have decreased during that time, from about 2,600 to roughly 1,500.

Separate agency documents obtained by the AP show that the state has paid just $285,000 in claims to health providers from July through March, which covers most of the budget year. The human services department set aside roughly $3 million for the program.

Matt Highland, an agency spokesman, declined to discuss specifics of the latest findings, but he argued that the newly released data don't show a complete picture and pointed out that health providers can still file claims for services provided months ago. He's also noted that enrollment in the program's predecessor had been declining since at least 2013, partly because people changed to coverage under the Affordable Care Act.

State Sen. Joe Bolkcom, an Iowa City Democrat, said the newly released data show it's clear people can't access needed reproductive health care.

"All signs are more war on women policies that place more barriers between a woman and her doctor," he said.

Erin Davison-Rippey, a representative for Planned Parenthood of the Heartland, said the reduction in claims is troubling and questioned why health providers would wait to file claims to get paid. Planned Parenthood, which was the largest recipient of funding under the old family planning program, has closed four of its 12 clinics in Iowa since the new program launched.

"This continues to indicate that health care access for reproductive health has been significantly harmed and impacted," she said.

Tomlonovic said the most recent numbers cannot be solely attributed to the longer-term decline caused by the Affordable Care Act. She said the latest figures followed the earlier release of Department of Human Services data to the AP that showed a nearly 50 percent drop in enrollment compared to the same period in the previous year, when the old system was still in place.

Although the department is collecting raw data, it's not required to report on how the new state-run system is working.

In the final days of the legislative session, the co-chairman of a House committee that approves health funding said that may need to change. State Rep. Dave Heaton, a Mount Pleasant Republican, indicated that he may add language to a budget bill requiring public reporting. But legislation released Thursday appeared to exclude such instructions.

The Republican-led Legislature and governor made the switch to the new system last year even though no state or federal funding was going toward abortions in Iowa. On Wednesday, GOP lawmakers approved a so-called fetal heartbeat bill that would ban most abortions in Iowa at about six weeks of pregnancy, which would make it the strictest in the nation and would almost surely face a legal challenge if signed into law by Gov. Kim Reynolds.
Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signs a bill into law which bans most abortions in the state if a fetal heartbeat can be detected, or roughly after around six weeks into pregnancy.