In a one-day special legislative session on Tuesday, the Iowa legislature passed HF732 (full text), a ban on most abortions if a fetal heartbeat can be detected (usually after 6 weeks of pregnancy). The law has exceptions for medical emergencies, and for rape or incest if reported to law enforcement or health authorities. "Medical emergency" is defined in Iowa Code §146B.1 as where necessary to preserve the life of the pregnant woman or where the pregnancy poses a serious risk of substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function. AP in its coverage of the bill reports that Governor Kim Reynolds, who called the special session of the legislature, says she will sign the bill on Friday. Earlier this year, the Iowa Supreme Court was evenly divided, thereby affirming a state trial court's holding that a previous fetal heartbeat law violates the Iowa constitution.
