CONSTITUTION. THIS IS IOWA’S NEWS LEADER. THIS IS KCCI EIGHT NEWS CLUCAS UP. GOOD MORNING AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. THIS IS CLOSE-UP. I’M NICOLE TAM, WHAT’S KNOWN AS THE FETAL HEARTBEAT LAW IS OUR BIG FOCUS THIS WEEK. RIGHT NOW, POLK COUNTY JUDGES CONSIDERING WHETHER TO PUT A PAUSE ON THOSE NEW ABORTION RESTRICTIONS. GOVERNOR KIM REYNOLDS SIGNED THE BILL INTO LAW ON FRIDAY. IT TOOK EFFECT IMMEDIATELY. THE TEXT OF THE LAW SAYS THAT ABORTION WOULD BE BANNED ONCE A, QUOTE, FETAL HEARTBEAT IS DETECTED. CARDIAC ACTIVITY USUALLY HAPPENS AROUND SIX WEEKS INTO PREGNANCY. EXCEPTIONS TO THE ABORTION BAN INCLUDE INSTANCES WHERE THE LIFE OF THE MOTHER IS THREATENED WHEN ABNORMALITIES ARE DETECTED. THAT WOULD RESULT IN THE INFANT’S DEATH AND FOR PREGNANCIES FROM RAPE REPORTED WITHIN 45 DAYS OR INCEST IF IT’S REPORTED WITHIN A 140 DAYS OF THAT CRIME. AND THE LEGISLATURE APPROVED THE BILL ON TUESDAY AFTER HOURS OF DEMONSTRATIONS BY PEOPLE FOR AND AGAINST IT. THIS NEW LAW IS ALMOST IDENTICAL TO A 2018 LAW. THE IOWA SUPREME COURT, IN A RECENT SPLIT DECISION, LEFT A PERMANENT INJUNCTION IN PLACE PREVENTING THAT LAW FROM BEING ENFORCED. AND BEFORE LAWMAKERS DEBATED AND VOTED ON THE BILL, SOME MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC GOT A CHANCE TO SPEAK BEFORE A LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE FOR HOURS. PEOPLE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE DEBATE WERE GIVEN TWO MINUTES EACH TO TELL THEIR STORIES, AND HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS TALKED ABOUT THE POSSIBLE EFFECTS THIS BILL WOULD HAVE. LIFE CAN BE CHALLENGING, BUT WORTH LIVING AND WHEN WOMEN ARE GIVEN THE CHANCE TO SEE AND HEAR THE HEARTBEAT OF THEIR BABY AS EARLY AS SIX WEEKS, IT CHANGES EVERYTHING. I WANT TO GIVE YOU JUST ONE TESTIMONY OF ONE OF OUR CLIENTS, BUT THERE’S HUNDREDS OF THEM JUST LIKE IT. SHE WAS 15 YEARS OLD. SHE CAME TO SEE US. SHE WAS PREGNANT. AFRAID, ASHAMED, AND BEING PRESSURED BY HER BOYFRIEND AND HIS MOTHER TO ABORT. WHEN SHE CAME IN. WE SCHEDULED AN ULTRASOUND AS SHE WAITED FOR THE IMAGE TO POP UP ON THE LARGE SCREEN. WHEN SHE SAW THE HEARTBEAT OF HER BABY AT JUST SIX WEEKS OLD, SHE BEGAN TO CRY AND HER WHOLE PERSPECTIVE CHANGED. SHE THEN HAD HOPE OVER FEAR, OPTIMISM OVER DESPAIR. AND ALL OF A SUDDEN SHE HAD STRENGTH THAT SHE DID NOT WALK IN THAT ROOM WITH. AND I KNOW THAT BECAUSE OF THAT HEARTBEAT SHE CARRIED TO TERM AND DELIVERED A BABY GIRL AND SHE STAYED IN OUR PROGRAM FOR TWO YEARS. YOUR PROPOSED LEGISLATION, ARDON, HAS THE POTENTIAL TO PREVENT ME FROM PROVIDING THE CARE MY PATIENTS DESERVE. ABORTION IS HEALTH CARE, REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM IS NECESSARY FOR A HEALTHY AND FUNCTIONAL COMMUNITY. EMPATHY IS A HUGE COMPONENT OF COMPASSIONATE HEALTH CARE. WHAT A PRIVILEGED LIFE YOU LEAD. IF YOU CAN ONLY SEE PREGNANCY AS A BLESSING, I IMPLORE YOU TO SEE IT THROUGH OTHER SITUATIONS. AS THE FAMILY WHO CANNOT SUPPORT THEIR EXISTING CHILDREN, THE PREGNANCY BE IN A RELATIONSHIP OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND REPRODUCTIVE COERCION. THE WOMAN DIAGNOSED WITH METASTATIC CANCER NEEDING AN ABORTION TO RECEIVE CHEMOTHERAPY TO PROLONG HER LIFE FOR HER EXISTING CHILDREN. THE TRANS PATIENT IN WHOM PREGNANCY WAS NEVER A DESIRE. PATIENTS ON MEDICATIONS THAT CAUSE BIRTH DEFECTS AND ALL OF THE CONTRACEPTIVE FAILURES WITH RESPONSIBLE INDIVIDUALS, YOU WOULD BE FORCING A WOMAN TO A LIFELONG OBLIGATION WHICH AFFECTS HER EDUCATION, CAREER, FAMILY AND COMMUNITY. D YET THE MAN DOES NOT HAVE THE SAME CONSEQUENCES. LIFE IS A GIFT OF GOD AS GOD IS THE GIVER OF LIFE. THE SANCTITY OF HUMAN LIFE GIVES ENVY AVAILABLE AND EQUAL VALUE TO EVERY HUMAN LIFE. THE UNBORN CHILD IS HUMAN LIFE. IN PSALM ONE 3916, THE BIBLE DESCRIBES GOD’S KNOWLEDGE OF EACH OF US, INCLUDING THE UNBORN, IN BEFORE WE ARE EVEN CONCEIVED IN THE WOMB. THAT KNOWLEDGE ALONE, BEFORE WE ARE EVEN CONCEIVED IN THE WOMB, PLACES SUPREME VALUE ON THE VALUE OF LIFE AND MEDICAL SCIENCE CONFIRMS UNEQUIVOCALLY THAT THE UNBORN CHILD IS IN FACT FULL OF LIFE, VITALITY AND MEANING IN ITS EVERY FORMATION, FROM CONCEPTION AND HEARTBEAT TO BIRTH, WE SEE PEOPLE WHO ARE GETTING AN ABORTION BECAUSE IT’S A LIFE SAVING PROCEDURE FOR THEM, MYSELF INCLUDED. I HAVE AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE. IF I WERE TO BECOME PREGNANT, IT WOULD LITERALLY KILL ME AND LEAVE MY FOUR CHILDREN MOTHERLESS. MOTHERLESS? HOW IS THAT PROTECTING LIFE TO LEAVE MY CHILDREN AS ORPHANS? THAT IS NOT A PROTECTION OF LIFE. PASSING THIS BILL WOULD MEAN THAT I WAS NOTHING MORE THAN A VESSEL. I WOULD HAVE NO CHOICES OVER MY OWN LIFE, MY OWN AUTONOMY. WHEN TO HAVE A CHILD OR NOT TO HAVE A CHILD. IF I SHOULD SAVE MY OWN LIFE OR NOT, IT WOULD MEAN THAT I WOULD HAVE NO CHOICES OVER BECOMING AND STAYING A PRODUCTIVE MEMBER OF SOCIETY. OVER WHAT? A FETUS OR AN EMBRYO THAT HAS NO SENSE OF CONSCIOUSNESS, SELF AWARENESS. AND DESPITE HOW THE BILL IS WRITTEN, THAT IS NOT A HEARTBEAT. I DO ULTRASOUNDS. IT IS ELECTRICAL ACTIVITY. THERE IS NO HEART AT SIX WEEKS OF GESTATIONAL AGE. THAT IS NOT TRUE. SCIENTIFICALLY. THAT IS NOT TRUE. IOWA HAS GONE FROM A STATE WHERE WE HAVE BEEN A LEADER IN ABORTION CARE. WE WERE THE FIRST STATE TO PILOT TELEMEDICINE, ABORTION. I ENCOURAGE YOU TO LOOK TO THE MEDICAL FIELD, THE CENTRAL ETHOS THAT IS TO DO NO HARM TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY TO PROTECT LIFE, TO PROMOTE LIFE, TO PREVENT UNTIMELY DEATH. I ENCOURAGE YOU TO WELCOME THE BODILY AUTONOMY ARGUMENT AS A STRONG PRO-LIFE ARGUMENT. WE ARE IN FULL SUPPORT OF FEMALES RIGHT TO BODILY AUTONOMY, AND THAT INCLUDES THE FEMALES WHO ARE INSIDE THE WOMB. I ENCOURAGE YOU TO SUPPORT THIS ABOLITIONIST MOVEMENT FOR EQUAL RIGHTS TO LIFE AND NOT DISCRIMINATE AGAINST SOMEONE BASED OFF OF THEIR APPEARANCE, BASED OFF OF THEIR SIZE, THEIR LOCATION, THEIR LEVEL OF DEVELOPMENT OR DEGREE OF DEPENDENCY. I ENCOURAGE YOU TO BECOME ADVOCATES AS EVERYONE ELSE HAS TO SPEAK. FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT YET, DO NOT YET HAVE A VOICE FOR THEMSELVES. FIRST OF ALL, THIS BILL IS FRAUGHT WITH MEDICAL INACCURACIES IN MEDICINE. WE HAVE VERY SPECIFIC WORDS THAT MEAN THINGS IN THIS BILL. YOU USE THE WORD FETUS WHEN YOU MEAN EMBRYO. THEY HAVE DIFFERENT DEFINITIONS USING MEDICALLY AND ACCURATE LANGUAGE IS CONFUSING AND DANGEROUS. THE WORDS IN THE BILL SHOULD BE VERY SPECIFIC AND ACCURATE BECAUSE WORDS MATTER AND FACTS ARE IMPORTANT. THE WORDS IN THE BILL WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT MEDICAL EXCEPTIONS FOR THE LIFE OF THE MOTHER, THE BILL IS UNCLEAR. ARMOUR AND I’M GOING TO ASK EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU THIS QUESTION. AND IN YOUR HEAD, I WANT YOU TO THINK OF THE ANSWER. AT WHAT POINT WHEN YOUR WIFE OR YOUR DAUGHTER OR YOUR SISTER IS HAVING A LIFE, A MEDICAL EMERGENCY RELATED TO PREGNANCY, DO I GET TO SAVE HER LIFE? AT WHAT MOMENT DO I GET TO INTERVENE? IT’S UNCLEAR IN THIS BILL. I UNDERSTAND BOTH SIDES. I WAS A WOMAN WHO EXERCISED CHOICE TO HAVE AN ABORTION. THIS IS WHY I ADVOCATE TO PREVENT OTHER WOMEN FROM EXPERIENCING WHAT I HAVE GONE THROUGH. PEOPLE HAVE LABELED ME A HYPOCRITE. BUT I ASK YOU, WHO HERE WOULD TELL SOMEONE TO MAKE THE SAME NEGATIVE, PERMANENT, LIFE CHANGING LIFE CHANGING MISTAKE? I DOUBT YOU WOULD WANT PEOPLE TO SUFFER THE SAME CONSEQUENCE, BUT RATHER HELP THEM UNDERSTAND THE TRUTH. THAT IS WHY I’M HERE. ROE V WADE WAS THE LAW OF THE LAND IN 1981. THERE WAS NO HEALTH CARE FROM PLANNED PARENTHOOD. I HAD NO MEDICAL COUNSEL OR GUIDANCE TO EXPLAIN THE RISKS OF ABORTION. DESPITE THE STAGE OF FETAL DEVELOPMENT. I WAS IN. OR LET ME HEAR THE BABY’S HEARTBEAT. RATHER, IT WAS COLD INDUSTRIAL AND AN ISOLATED EXPERIENCE. AS YEARS PASSED, I NUMBED THE PAIN AND TRAUMA WITH DRUG USE FELL DEEP INTO DEPRESSION DOON AND EVEN DECIDED THAT THE ONLY WAY TO END MY TORMENT WAS TO COMMIT SUICIDE. HOW COULD I NOT SUFFER TRAUMA WHEN A BABY WITH A BEATING HEART WAS SUCTIONED OUT OF ME IN MY FAITH? WALK, I HAVE HAD TO RECONCILE MY PAST DECISION AND RECEIVE GOD’S MERCY AND FORGIVENESS SO I COULD MOVE FORWARD. THE QUESTION OF WHEN HUMAN LIFE BEGINS IS A RELIGIOUS AND PHILOSOPHICAL ISSUE ON WHICH THERE IS VAST DISAGREEMENT AT THE IOWA LEGISLATURE. SHOULD NOT BE IN THE BUSINESS OF PASSING LAWS BASED ON THE RELIGIOUS BELIEFS OF SOME IOWANS. WHILE DISCUSSING HURTING THOSE OF OTHERS UNDER JEWISH LAW, HUMAN LIFE BEGINS AT BIRTH WHILE THE FETUS HAS VALUE. ITS VALUE IS FAR BELOW THE VALUE OF THE HUMAN LIVES OF THE LIVING. PEOPLE INCLUDE THOSE WHO ARE PREGNANT. THE BILL YOU ARE CONSIDERING HAS EXCEPTIONS THAT ARE TOO NARROW. THEY DO NOT ALLOW ABORTIONS THAT JEWISH LAW WOULD PERMIT OR EVEN AT TIMES REQUIRE THE REFORM JEWISH MOVEMENT. THE UNION OF REFORMED JUDAISM AND ITS MANY AFFILIATES ORGANIZATIONS HAVE SUPPORTED REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE AND ABORTION RIGHTS SINCE BEFORE ROE V WADE AND THE BODILY AUTONOMY OF WOMEN AND GOOD HEALTH CARE FOR ALL ARE PRINCIPLES THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO US. ABORTION IS PART OF GOOD HEALTH CARE, AND FORCED BIRTH IS NOT RIGHT. AND AFTER CITIZENS HAVE THEIR SAY, THE BILL MOVED TO THE IOWA HOUSE AND SENATE FLOORS FOR DEBATE. NEXT ON CLOSE UP, WE SHOW YOU WHERE LAWMAKERS STAND ON NEW ABORTION RESTRICTIONS AND IMMEDIATE LEGAL ACTION. MY OPPONENTS WENT BEFORE A JUDGE TO STOP THE LAW BEFORE THE GOVERNOR EVEN SIGNED IT. WELCOME BACK TO CLOSE UP. AFTER A PUBLIC HEARING IN THE STATE HOUSE LAST TUESDAY, IOWA LAWMAKERS STARTED DEBATE ON THE NEW ABORTION RESTRICTIONS. REPUBLICANS IN FAVOR OF THE NEW RESTRICTIONS HAVE MAJORITIES IN BOTH THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE, MEANING IT WAS LIKELY TO PASS. BUT DEMOCRATS QUESTIONED HOW THE LAW WOULD DETERMINE HOW TO PUNISH DOCTORS WHO VIOLATED IT. PHYSICIANS CAN BE PUNISHED BY THE BOARD OF MEDICINE RIGHT? THEY COULD THEY COULD HAVE DISCIPLINARY ACTION AGAINST THEM, IF THAT IS HOW THE BOARD OF MEDICINE DECIDES TO WRITE THEIR RULES AND YOU’RE LEAVING IT UP TO THE BOARD OF MEDICINE TO JUST LIKE ANY OTHER LAW? WELL, I MEAN, I COME HERE EVERY YEAR AND EVERY YEAR IT SEEMS LIKE WE’RE FIXING SOMETHING BECAUSE YOU GUYS DON’T LIKE THE WAY SOME AGENCY WROTE A RULE. WHY DON’T YOU GIVE THEM SOME DEFINITION AND WAY EXPLANATION AS TO HOW YOU WANT THIS TO BE WORDED IN THE RULES? I MEAN, IS THERE ANYTHING YOU CAN GIVE ME FOR THE RECORD ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS TO A PHYSICIAN IF HE VIOLATES THIS CODE SECTION, THE BOARD OF MEDICINE WILL DETERMINE THAT. OKAY. BUT IT’S FAIR TO SAY THAT A WOMAN IS NEVER PUNISHED, CORRECT? CORRECT. I’VE SPOKEN TO GYNS. I’VE SPOKEN TO PEOPLE WHO’VE SERVED ON THE PRIOR BOARD OF MEDICINE. AND FROM OUR DISCUSSIONS, WE COULDN’T COME UP WITH A WAY THAT WE COULD SAFELY ENACT THIS WITHOUT VIOLATING HIPAA. BEING THE AUTHOR ON THIS BILL, CAN YOU GIVE US A SUGGESTION HOW THAT MIGHT HAPPEN? I HAVE ALSO SPOKEN TO OBSTETRICIANS ABOUT THIS BILL AND THEY REALIZED THAT SOME OF THE COMPLICATIONS THAT COME UP DON’T MEET THE DEFINITION OF ABORTION, BUT IF ANYONE CAN MEET THE DEVON CAN MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF HIPAA. I HAVE FULL CONFIDENCE THAT THE BOARD OF MEDICINE CAN WRITE THOSE RULES. OKAY. WELL, I’M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT MY PATIENTS PRIVACY, SO I APPRECIATE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS MATTER. I ALSO WANT TO ASK YOU IN THIS BILL, WE SPECIFICALLY SAY THAT TRANSABDOMINAL ULTRASOUND BIG MOUND IS WHAT WE’RE GOING TO BE USING AT SIX WEEKS, SEVEN WEEKS, WHENEVER IT IS THAT WE’RE WE’RE HAVING A PATIENT THAT COMES TO US IN REGARDS TO THE TOPIC OF THIS BILL TRANSABDOMINAL ULTRASOUND IS NOT THE STANDARD OF CARE IN PREGNANCY. WHY ARE WE UTILIZING SOMETHING THAT’S NOT THE MEDICAL STANDARD OF CARE WE ARE USING? TRANSABDOMINAL ULTRASOUND AS THAT WAS THE THAT WAS HOW THE BILL WAS WRITTEN BEFORE. WE’RE INTO USING THE BILL AS IT WAS WRITTEN BEFORE BECAUSE NOT BECAUSE THE SUPREME IOWA SUPREME COURT STRUCK IT DOWN, BUT BECAUSE THEY REFUSED TO LOOK AT IT. WELL, EVEN IF THE POLLS ARE TRUE AND WE’VE ALL SEEN POLLS THAT ARE WILDLY OFF AND FOR SOME REASON THERE SEEMS TO BE A MAJORITY HERE THAT ARE PRO-LIFE. AND SO I SUGGEST THAT IWANS AREN’T ALL THAT MUCH AGAINST PRO-LIFE, BUT SHOULD A POLL HERE’S A QUESTION. SHOULD A POLL DETERMINE WHO LIVES AND WHO DIES? AND THEN I’VE HEARD OTHER POINTS. THIS ONE WAS ONE POINT SAID DON’T FORCE WOMEN TO HAVE A BABY. I DEMAND REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM AND REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS. CASS. ALL RIGHT, THEN I THINK I STAND HERE TODAY IN FAVOR AND AND PROCLAIMING THAT EVERYONE IS FREE NOT TO HAVE SEX. IF THEY’RE NOT PREPARED TO HAVE A BABY. THEY SHOULDN’T HAVE SEX IF THEY’RE THAT CONCERNED ABOUT IT, I WILL STAND FOR EVERYONE’S RIGHT TO PRACTICE ABSTINENCE. ABORTION HAS LITTLE, IF ANYTHING, TO DO WITH REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS. IT’S AFTER THE FACT WHEN A MALE AND A FEMALE HAVE SEXUAL RELATIONS RESULTING IN A PREGNANCY REPRODUCE. ABORTION HAS ALREADY HAPPENED. IT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE NEED TO REVIEW THE STORY OF THE BIRDS AND THE BEES. WOMEN OF COLOR ARE MORE LIKELY TO LIVE IN AREAS WHERE IT’S HARDER TO HAVE ACCESS TO ABORTION, HARDER TO HAVE ACCESS TO CONTRACEPTIVES, TO PREVENT THE NEED FOR ABORTION. THIS HAPPENS A LOT MORE TO WOMEN OF COLOR THAN THEIR WHITE COUNTERPARTS. THE FACTIONS OR FACTORS THAT LEAD SOME WOMEN OF COLOR TO SEEK ABORTIONS ARE PRESENT FROM THE DAY THEY ARE BORN AND PASSED DOWN THROUGH POVERTY IN THE LIVES OF THEIR MOTHERS WHO FACED SIMILAR PLIGHTS AS BLACK AND LATINO WOMEN ARE 2 TO 3 TIMES MORE LIKELY TO HAVE NO PRENATAL HEALTH CARE. BLACK AND LATINO WOMEN ARE MORE LIKELY TO HAVE PREGNANCY COMPLICATIONS AND THEREFORE FACE DEATH IF FORCED TO CARRY THEIR BABIES TO FULL TERM AS WOMEN OF COLOR HAVE FOUGHT FOR CENTURIES FOR AUTONOMY OVER THEIR BODIES, FOUGHT AGAINST GOVERNMENT SANCTIONED ABUSE AND ABUSED FROM THEIR PARTNERS. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE HOUSE, THE END OF A CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO LEGAL ABORTION WILL BE AN ATTACK ON EQUITY. AND THE ABORTION BAN PASSED MOSTLY ON PARTY LINES. TWO HOUSE REPUBLICANS AND ONE SENATE REPUBLICAN VOTED WITH DEMOCRATS TO OPPOSE THE BILL. AFTER THE VOTE, SENATE PRESIDENT AMY SINCLAIR QUESTIONED WHY DEMOCRATS WERE SO CONCERNED ABOUT THE IOWA BOARD OF MEDICINE’S ROLE IN THIS NEW LAW. SO I’M UNCERTAIN OF WHY THERE WAS WAS THE CONCERN OVER THIS BILL IN PARTICULAR. IT’S NO DIFFERENT THAN THE PROCESS THAT’S FOLLOWED FOR ANY OTHER BILL. WE INCLUDE A PROMULGATION OF RULES, BUT THE INACTION OF THE PLAIN LANGUAGE OF THE BILL BECOMES LAW AND AND SO A JUST A STANDARD UNDERSTANDING OF THE PLAIN LANGUAGE OF THE BILL IS WHAT’S ENACTED IMMEDIATELY. THOSE RULES WILL BE PROMULGATED. BUT THIS WASN’T ANYTHING NEW. THIS WASN’T A NEW PROCESS. MY GOAL HERE WAS NOT TO PUNISH ANYONE. THIS IS NOT ABOUT PUNISHMENT. THIS IS ABOUT EXTENDING GOVERNMENT PROTECTED RIGHT TO LIFE, WHICH IS WHICH IS BOTH ENSHRINED IN BOTH OUR STATE AND FEDERAL CONSTITUTION. IT’S ABOUT EXTENDING THE GOVERNMENT’S PROTECTION TO THAT RIGHT TO LIFE, TO UNBORN CHILDREN. I DON’T HAVE AN AX TO GRIND AND I DON’T HAVE PENALTIES TO RECOMMEND. I’M NOT HERE TO PUNISH ANYONE. I’M HERE TO TO DEFEND UNBORN LIFE. AND THE BATTLE OVER IOWA’S NEW ABORTION LAW IS IN THE HANDS OF A JUDGE NEXT ON CLOSE-UP, WHY OPPONENTS SAY THE LAW VIOLATES IOWA’S CONSTITUTION. ASHTON. WELCOME BACK. ABOUT A HALF A MILE AWAY FROM WHERE GOVERNOR KIM REYNOLDS SIGNED THE ABORTION RESTRICTION BILL ON FRIDAY, A COURT HEARING ON AN INJUNCTION TO BLOCK IT WAS UNDERWAY. AT THE SAME TIME, A POLK COUNTY JUDGE SAYS THAT HE WILL NOT MAKE A RULING ON AN INJUNCTION UNTIL AT LEAST MONDAY OR TUESDAY. THE ACLU, PLANNED PARENTHOOD AND ABORTION PROVIDERS REQUESTED A TEMPORARY INJUNCTION TO PREVENT ENFORCEMENT OF THE LAW AND THAT’S BECAUSE, ACCORDING TO THE WORDING OF THE LAW, IT WOULD TAKE EFFECT IMMEDIATELY UPON GOVERNOR REYNOLDS SIGNATURE. SHE SIGNED IT FRIDAY AFTERNOON, MAKING IT LAW. AND THE DAY AFTER THE BILL PASSED, THE LEGISLATURE, THE ACLU EXPLAINED THEIR LEGAL STRATEGY TO FIGHT THE NEW LAW ON CONSTITUTIONAL GROUNDS. THIS LAW IS DEEPLY CRUEL AND CALLOUSLY PUTS THE LIVES AND HEALTH OF IOWANS AT RISK. IT BANS ABORTION BEFORE MANY PEOPLE KNOW THAT THEY’RE PREGNANT, AND IT’S █SUBSTANTIALL IDENTICAL TO THE 2018 LAW THAT WAS KEPT BLOCKED BY THE IOWA SUPREME COURT IN AN ORDER ISSUED JUST WEEKS AGO. LIKE THAT LAW, THIS BAN CONTAINS CARNES, SOME SO CALLED, EXCEPT DICKENS. BUT THE REALITY IS THAT THE VAST MAJORITY I-80 OF IOWANS WILL BE UNABLE TO ACCESS ABORTION. SO IN ADDITION TO THE TWO NARROW EXCEPTIONS FOR THE LIFE OF A PREGNANT PERSON DOON AND CERTAIN MEDICAL EMERGENCY, THE BILL ALSO PURPORTS TO PROVIDE EXCEPTIONS TO THE BAN FOR CERTAIN SURVIVORS OF RAPE AND INCEST, THOSE EXPERIENCING MISCARRIAGE AND THOSE WITH PARTICULAR FETAL DIAGNOSES. AMES. BUT EACH EXCEPTION INCLUDES SIGNIFICANT BARRIERS TO ACCESSING CARE. THE EXPERIENCES OF PATIENTS AND PROVIDERS BOIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAVE DEMONSTRATED THAT THESE SO-CALLED EXCEPTIONS, LIKE THOSE IN THE BAN THAT WAS PASSED YESTERDAY, ARE TOTALLY UNWORKABLE. THEY PUT PATIENTS LIVES AT RISK AND FURTHER DEPRIVE PEOPLE OF THEIR REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM. YOU’LL SEE THAT OUR LEGAL CLAIMS ARE THAT BY BANNING THE VAST MAJORITY OF ABORTIONS, THIS BILL VIOLATES IOWANS CONSOL RIGHTS TO ABORTION AND SUBSTANTIVE DUE PROCESS. THE BAN ALSO VIOLATES THE IOWA CONSTITUTION CLEMONS INALIENABLE RIGHTS CLAUSE, WHICH IS ARTICLE ONE, SECTION ONE OF OUR STATE CONSTITUTION THAT EXPLICITLY GUARANTEES THOSE RIGHTS EQUALLY TO WOMEN. WE ALSO MAKE AN EQUAL PROTECTION CLAIM IN THIS LAWSUIT, LIKE THE LAWSUIT THAT WE BROUGHT CHALLENGING THE 2018 LAW ARE BOTH LAWSUITS UNDER THE IOWA CONSTITUTION AND THE IOWA SUPREME COURT HAS MADE CLEAR IN THE FOUR CASE, WHICH IT DECIDED LAST YEAR, THAT THE STANDARD THAT GOVERNS AMES ABORTION RESTRICTIONS UNDER THE IOWA CONSTITUTION IS UNDUE BURDEN. NOW, CERTAINLY DOBBS HAS HAD AN IMPACT ON THE LEGAL LANDSCAPE OF ABORTION THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. I THINK WE’RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH THE CATTESE CONSEQUENCES OF THAT DECISION FOR PREGNANT PEOPLE ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. BUT IN THIS CASE IN PARTICULAR, IT’S UNDER THE IOWA CONSTITUTION. AND THE IOWA SUPREME COURT IS THE ULTIMATE ARBITER OF RIGHTS UNDER THAT CONSTITUTION. WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT THE COURTS WILL INTERPRET IOWA SUPREME COURT PRECEDENT FAIRLY AND JUST LIKE THE COURTS BLOCKED THE 2018 BAN AND KEPT IT BLOCKED THROUGHOUT THE LAST YEAR AT THE IOWA DISTRICT COURT AND THEN AGAIN AT THE SUPREME COURT ABOUT A MONTH AGO. WE HOPE THEY’LL DO THE SAME WITH THIS BAN. FRANKLY, I THINK THAT WE DO EXPECT THIS CASE TO REACH THE IOWA SUPREME COURT. IT’S CERTAINLY A CASE OF PUBLIC IMPORTANCE THAT AFFECTS THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS OF MILLIONS OF IOWANS AND SO NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS AT THE DISTRICT COURT, I WOULD BE VERY SURPRISED IF IT DOESN’T GET UP TO THE IOWA SUPREME COURT. NEXT ON CLOSE UP YOUR CHANCE TO RELIVE A HISTORIC EVENT HERE IN IOWA. THE FLOOD OF 93, 30 YEARS LATER, THE. AND BEFORE WE LEAVE YOU THIS MORNING, WE WANT TO LET YOU KNOW ABOUT SOME SPECIAL PROGRAMING TONIGHT RIGHT HERE ON KCCI. 30 YEARS AGO, MUCH OF IOWA WAS UNDER WATER. ALL WEEK LONG, WE BROUGHT YOU SOME OF THE BIGGEST STORIES FROM THE FLOOD OF 93. IT WAS AN UNUSUAL WEATHER PATTERN THAT LED UP TO THE NATURAL DISASTER. BY THE TIME IT WAS FINISHED, EVERY ONE OF IOWA’S 99 COUNTIES WAS DECLARED A FEDERAL DISASTER AREA. A QUARTER OF A MILLION PEOPLE IN THE DES MOINES AREA WERE WITHOUT WATER FOR 11 DAYS. PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE STATE HELPED THEIR NEIGHBORS FILL SANDBAGS AS THE WORST IN TIMES CAN BRING OUT THE BEST IN PEOPLE. PEOPLE HELP THEIR NEIGHBORS, PEOPLE HELPED EACH OTHER AND MAKE SURE YOU WATCH OUR ONE HOUR LONG SPECIAL, THE FLOOD OF 93, 30 YEARS LATER. THAT’S TONIGHT AT 9:00 ONLY ON KCCI. AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR KCCI EIGHT NEWS, CLOSE-UP. WE’LL SEE YOU B