(Des Moines, IA) The webcam abortion ban bill, HF 2073, introduced by State Representative Matt Windschitl (R-Missouri Valley) was passed out of the Iowa House Human Resources Committee on a 12 to 9 party line vote on Thursday night.
The House action comes after the Iowa Board of Medicine voted to end the practice only to have a Polk County District Judge issue a stay to keep the rule from taking affect on November 6th after Planned Parenthood of the Heartland filed a lawsuit.
“In my opinion moving HF 2073 forward is a step in the right direction of saving thousands of unborn in Iowa. Roughly 3,000 webcam abortions are performed each year and by implementing this legislation we would be saving those innocent lives. We must do all we can to save the unborn every chance we get and this bill does that,” Windschitl told Caffeinated Thoughts.
HF 2073 was also co-sponsored by State Representatives Dean Fisher (R-Garwin), Mark Costello (R-Imogene), Mary Ann Hanusa (R-Council Bluffs), John Landon (R-Ankeny), Tedd Gassman (R-Scarville), Dan Huseman (R-Aurelia), Mark Brandenberg (R-Council Bluffs), Jarad Klein (R-Keota), Walt Rogers (R-Cedar Falls), Megan Hess (R-Spencer), Ron Jorgensen (R-Sioux City), Dave Maxwell (R-Gibson), Chuck Soderberg (R-Le Mars), Sandy Salmon (R-Denver), Larry Sheets (R-Moulton), Dawn Pettengill (R-Mount Auburn), Greg Heartsill (R-Melcher-Dallas), and Jason Schultz (R-Schleswig).
Tom Chapman, executive director of the Iowa Catholic Conference, told Caffeinated Thoughts that he was pleased with the vote. “We oppose all abortions, no matter the method, because it takes a human life. But when abortions are taking place, the safety of the women involved should also be among our chief concerns. In every case, drugs that cause a chemical abortion have serious effects. We believe the bill will help ensure that women receive the best care possible,” Chapman said.
“While Planned Parenthood of the Heartland will continue to claim these abortions are safe and have no complications, we know that in Ohio, where the law requires Planned Parenthood to report complications from medication abortions, there were 42 reports in 18 months, including 35 incomplete abortions from just two Planned Parenthoods. The 35 women with incomplete abortions had to endure a second abortion–a surgical one-to finish the job,” Jenifer Bowen, executive director of Iowa Right to Life, told Caffeinated Thoughts.
“Are we really so naive as to think that this is not happening in Iowa, where Planned Parenthood still has 14 locations performing medication abortions? What does Planned Parenthood do with women in Red Oak or any of their other outlying clinics who need a follow-up surgical abortion from a medication abortion that did not work?” Bowen added. “From the moment we first sounded the alarm in 2008 about this dangerous abortion scheme, we have looked forward to the opportunity to see the truth exposed in places like the Iowa House floor. We are very hopeful that day will soon be here.”
Sources tell Caffeinated Thoughts that the bill will likely be fast tracked so it could be voted on in the House Chamber in as soon as two weeks.