Iowa Passes Strictest Abortion Legislation In Nation

“With a middle-of-the-night vote that followed hours of heated debate, Iowa Republicans have approved a measure that would ban most abortions in the state and all but guarantee a protracted legal battle,” the Des Moines Register reports.

“The move comes in the final days of the legislative session and amid mounting pressure from the Legislature’s most ardently anti-abortion corners to pass the so-called ‘heartbeat’ bill before adjournment.”

If signed into law by Gov. Kim Reynolds (R), the bill “would ban nearly all abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected. That can occur about six weeks into a pregnancy and often before a woman realizes she’s pregnant.”

A Reynolds spokesperson told the Associated Press that the governor would likely sign the bill.