HR5 - Iowa Version of Nebraska's Fetal Pain Bill Introduced

Last week on 11 January 2011, HF5 - Late-Term Abortion Ban was introduced in the Iowa Legislature & referred to House Human Resources Committee*. The bill is the Iowa equivalent of the Nebraska law that drove late term abortionist Leroy Carhart out of Nebraska. The bill is sponsored by Representative Matt Windschitl & has 31 co-sponsors.

The bill has been endorsed by the Iowa Catholic Conference(IACC), Iowa Faith & Freedom Coalition & Iowa Right to Life Committee. Naturally Planned Parenthood of the Heartland & IA. Planned Parenthood Affiliate League have come out against it. Nor is it really surprizing that National Assn. of Social Workers, IA. Chapter came out against it. For the most part the physician groups & hospital groups have not yet taken a stand. I suspect that most of them will not say anything as it may be the safer move.

While the IA Dept of Public Health has not declared either way, the IA Dept of Human Rights has come out against the bill. I can't say I am totally surprized at that. I suspect that since Pro-abort Dems have been governors the last 12 years, the majority of people there are pro-abort.

Near the end of the bill is the following statement: "The bill also provides that the bill is not to be construed as creating or recognizing a right to an abortion, and the bill is not to be construed as determining life to begin at 20 weeks’ gestation; instead, it is recognized that life begins at conception."

Yes, the ideal would be a complete ban on abortion. I am all for a personhood amendment that would do so. But in the meantime this would put some severe limits on abortions done in Iowa. & it also will officially put Iowa on the record as defining that life begins at conception. (Note: With conception being twisted to mean implantation, I would like to see a definition of the word added.) This bill is NOT an end, it is just a step on the way. & I am sure that will be 1 of the reasons given by the pro-aborts for opposing it.

I have sent an e-mail supporting the bill via IACC's website to my state rep, ex-Speaker Pat Murphy (D). Remember, he barely won reelction last fall & was responsible for keeping the Marriage amendment from coming up as well as helping pass a bill that allowed cloning. (& then lying to me & claiming it didn't.) I discovered from the legislative website that his brother Larry is a lobbyist for the IACC & on the record as supporting it. It will be interesting to see Pat Murphy's response. I suspect it will be a non-committal, I will have to see if it is Constitutional type response.

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*On Wednesday 12 Jan it was referred to a 3 member Human Resources subcommittee.