I’m a few days late on this one. Republicans in the Iowa Senate recently filed Senate Joint Resolution 2001, a bill that a would amend the Iowa State Constitution in a way that would ultimately lead to a complete abortion ban in Iowa. The goal is to make any future abortion restrictions immune from challenges in the State Courts .

The proposed amendment reads:

To defend the dignity of all human life, and to protect mothers and unborn children from efforts to expand abortion even to the day of birth, we the people of the State of Iowa declare that this Constitution shall not be construed to recognize, grant, or secure a right to abortion or to require the public funding of abortion.

SJR has already been voted out of the Senate State Government Committee and now awaits debate before the full Senate.

This is the first step in a lengthy, multi-year process. It requires approval by two separately elected General Assemblies and then win a majority of votes in a statewide ballot. So if it passes both houses this session, it must do so again in 2021 or 2022 before it can be voted on by the citizens of Iowa. The earliest it could reach a statewide ballot is 2022.

This is a grave threat to womens’ reproductive rights and there is little that the Democrats can do this session to stop its passage.

Elections have consequences. You know what to do folks.

By Robert Cook

Activism Chair