Page 4 - ARUBA TODAY

A4 U.S. NEWS
Saturday 5 May 2018

Iowa governor signs nation's strictest abortion regulation

By BARBARA RODRIGUEZ critics of the bill began
Associated Press leaving coat hangers by
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — her staff's desks. A morning
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds rally outside of the Capitol
on Friday signed a law included more than 100
banning most abortions if people who held signs in
a fetal heartbeat can be opposition to the legisla-
detected, or at around six tion.
weeks of pregnancy, mark- Jessi Allard, a 35-year-old
ing the strictest abortion youth counselor at a Des
regulation in the nation — Moines shelter, held a sign
but setting the state up for outside Reynolds' office
a lengthy court fight. that read: "You don't own
The Republican governor us." Allard said lawmak-
signed the legislation in her ers need to support social
formal office at the state services that help children
Capitol as protesters gath- beyond birth and into
ered outside chanting, "My adulthood. She called the
body, my choice!" Reyn- legislation disappointing.
olds acknowledged that "It's ridiculous that our gov-
the new law would likely ernment can govern wom-
face litigation that could Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, center, signs a six-week abortion ban bill into law during a ceremony in en's bodies," she said.
put it on hold, but said: "This her formal office, Friday, May 4, 2018, in Des Moines, Iowa. The same Republican-ma-
is bigger than just a law, this Associated Press jority Legislature in Iowa
is about life, and I'm not go- passed a 20-week abortion
ing to back down." medical procedure. Missis- woman would have to re- statement. ban last year. It's now in ef-
Reynolds signed the law sur- sippi enacted a law earlier port a rape within 45 days Backers of the so-called fect, though a provision re-
rounded by children from a this year banning abortions to law enforcement or a heartbeat bill — which quiring a three-day waiting
local Christian school and after 15 weeks of pregnan- physician, and incest would didn't get a single Demo- period to get an abortion
children related to support- cy, but it's on hold after a need to be reported within cratic vote in the Legisla- is tied up in a lawsuit filed
ers. court challenge. 140 days. Another provision ture during final passage by Planned Parenthood
The ban, set to take ef- The Iowa law provides ex- prohibits some uses of fetal and included no votes and the ACLU. Separate-
fect on July 1, has moved emptions for abortions tissue, with exemptions for by six Republicans — ex- ly, Republican lawmakers
Iowa to the front of a push during a later pregnancy research. pressed hope it could agreed last session to give
among conservative state- stage to save a pregnant Maggie DeWitte, who challenge Roe vs. Wade, up millions in federal dollars
houses jockeying to en- woman's life or in some leads the group Iowans for the landmark 1973 U.S. Su- to create a state-funded
act new restrictions on the cases of rape and incest. A Life, called Reynolds' move preme Court ruling that es- family planning program
"historic" and added: "She tablished women have a that excludes abortion
is following through on her right to terminate pregnan- providers like Planned Par-
pledge to the people of cies until a fetus is viable. enthood, even though the
Iowa that she is 100 per- A federal appeals court money wasn't going to-
Paradise in the Caribbean cent pro-life." in recent years has struck ward abortions.q
The bill signing came shortly down similar legislation ap-
after the Iowa affiliates of proved in Arkansas and
Planned Parenthood and North Dakota, but con-
the American Civil Liber- servatives say an influx of
ties Union warned that they right-leaning judicial ap-
would sue the governor if pointments under President
she signed the bill, which Donald Trump could pro-
the Republican-controlled duce a different outcome
Legislature approved dur- in the future.
ing after-hours votes earlier "This just all propels the
in the week. whole movement to pro-
"We will challenge this law tect life forward," Repub-
with absolutely everything lican Rep. Sandy Salmon
we have on behalf of our said after the signing.
patients because Iowa will Critics argued the bill would
not go back," Suzanna de ban abortions before some
Baca, president and CEO women even know they're
SALES OFFICE +297 2801005 info@leventaruba.com of Planned Parenthood pregnant. Outside of Reyn-
MOBILE +297 5927275 www.leventaruba.com of the Heartland, said in a olds' office earlier Friday,