Skip to content
NOWCAST KCCI News at 6am Weekday Morning
Live Now
Advertisement

What are the exemptions to Iowa's new abortion bill?

What are the exemptions to Iowa's new abortion bill?
LEGAL EXCEPTIONS, THERE ARE IN THE CASES OF RAPE OR INCEST, A WOMAN HAS TO REPORT AN INCIDENT OF RAPE 45 DAYS WITHIN THE INCIDENT AND 140 DAYS IN THE CASE OF AN INCEST INCIDENT. THAT REPORT COULD BE FILED WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT, A HEALTH AGENCY OR A DOCTOR. REPUBLICANS SAY IF THE VICTIM IS A MINOR, THAT WOULD REQUIRE MANDATORY REPORTERS TO REPORT THE INCIDENT. BUT DEMOCRATS ARGUED REPORTING A CRIME AS PERSONAL AS SEXUAL ASSAULT IS NOT AS EASY AS IT’S MADE OUT TO BE. THESE LEGAL EXCEPTIONS INCLUDE IF THE PREGNANCY IS A RESULT OF RAPE OR INCEST, OR IF THE UNBORN CHILD HAS A FETAL ABNORMALITY AND WILL NOT SURVIVE OUTSIDE OF THE WOMB. THE LAW AS CURRENTLY WRITTEN, THE BILL IS CURRENTLY WRITTEN, WOULD BE FORCING THESE WOMEN TO CARRY OUT THEIR PREGNANCY BE BECAUSE THEY DID NOT WERE NOT ABLE TO SAFELY REPORT WHAT HAD HAPPENED. NOW, THE BILL ALSO INCLUDES SOME MEDICAL EXCEPTIONS THAT WOULD ALLOW A DOCTOR TO PERFORM AN ABORTION IF THERE’S A MEDICAL EMERGENCY AND THE WOMAN’S LIFE IS IN DANGER, OR IF THE DOCTOR DOESN’T BELIEVE THE CHILD WOULD BE ABLE TO LIVE OUTSIDE OF THE WOMB. WE’RE LIVE IN DES MOINES, BEA
Advertisement
What are the exemptions to Iowa's new abortion bill?
A new bill restricting abortion in Iowa and awaiting the governor's signature does include some medical and legal exemptions.The bill would not allow doctors to perform an abortion after cardiac activity is detected. Doctors say this happens around six weeks into the pregnancy. According to the bill, HF 732, a doctor can proceed with an abortion after that point in gestation if there is a medical emergency that is threatening the woman's life or if the doctor believes the child will not be able to survive outside of the womb. "If a woman is hemorrhaging, a doctor has an obligation to treat that patient and save her life. And there is an exemption for a medical emergency written right into the bill," said Sen. Amy Sinclair, the president of the Senate, after it passed the bill on Tuesday.But Democrats argued the exemptions are too vague.They claimed this could cause doctors to hesitate — afraid of disciplinary actions in the event they would have to do it."We've seen this in multiple states that have had similar or perhaps even less strict medical exemptions in which women have been allowed to get sicker and sicker and sicker because the doctor is concerned they might break the law and lose their license," said Rep. Austin Baeth during debate on Tuesday. The bill includes exemptions for rape, incest and medical emergencies that threaten the life of the mother. In the bill, rape would need to be reported within 45 days, and incest would need to be reported within 140 days. Republicans say if the victim is a minor, that would require mandatory reporters to report the incident. But Democrats argued reporting a crime as personal as sexual assault is not as easy as it's made out to be."The law as currently written would be forcing these women to carry out their pregnancy because they were not able to safely report what had happened," Rep. Baeth said.Governor Kim Reynolds is planning to sign the bill at 2:15 p.m. Friday, but Planned Parenthood of the Heartland has been granted a hearing in Polk County District Court just 45 minutes before the bill signing, where they will make a request for a temporary injunction. A KCCI crew was at an event in Marshalltown Thursday, where Gov. Reynolds declined to comment on the bill. She did release a statement after the bill passed Tuesday night, saying she is "committed to continuing policies to support women in planning for motherhood."WATCH: Gov. Reynolds declines to comment on abortion bill during public appearance Thursday

A new bill restricting abortion in Iowa and awaiting the governor's signature does include some medical and legal exemptions.

The bill would not allow doctors to perform an abortion after cardiac activity is detected. Doctors say this happens around six weeks into the pregnancy.

Advertisement

According to the bill, HF 732, a doctor can proceed with an abortion after that point in gestation if there is a medical emergency that is threatening the woman's life or if the doctor believes the child will not be able to survive outside of the womb.

"If a woman is hemorrhaging, a doctor has an obligation to treat that patient and save her life. And there is an exemption for a medical emergency written right into the bill," said Sen. Amy Sinclair, the president of the Senate, after it passed the bill on Tuesday.

But Democrats argued the exemptions are too vague.

They claimed this could cause doctors to hesitate — afraid of disciplinary actions in the event they would have to do it.

"We've seen this in multiple states that have had similar or perhaps even less strict medical exemptions in which women have been allowed to get sicker and sicker and sicker because the doctor is concerned they might break the law and lose their license," said Rep. Austin Baeth during debate on Tuesday.

The bill includes exemptions for rape, incest and medical emergencies that threaten the life of the mother. In the bill, rape would need to be reported within 45 days, and incest would need to be reported within 140 days.

Republicans say if the victim is a minor, that would require mandatory reporters to report the incident.

But Democrats argued reporting a crime as personal as sexual assault is not as easy as it's made out to be.

"The law as currently written would be forcing these women to carry out their pregnancy because they were not able to safely report what had happened," Rep. Baeth said.

Governor Kim Reynolds is planning to sign the bill at 2:15 p.m. Friday, but Planned Parenthood of the Heartland has been granted a hearing in Polk County District Court just 45 minutes before the bill signing, where they will make a request for a temporary injunction.

A KCCI crew was at an event in Marshalltown Thursday, where Gov. Reynolds declined to comment on the bill. She did release a statement after the bill passed Tuesday night, saying she is "committed to continuing policies to support women in planning for motherhood."

WATCH: Gov. Reynolds declines to comment on abortion bill during public appearance Thursday