DES MOINES – The Iowa Legislature was back in session Wednesday after a hiatus since March and party lines were immediately visible on protections from the Coronavirus and a quickly-scheduled debate on banning abortions.
The bickering and finger-pointing began with all Democrats wearing face coverings due to the Coronavirus and most Republicans not wearing protective coverings. At least one GOP lawmaker gave a speech outside the capitol building slamming the lefties as thinking they are “better than” the righties.
The heat got turned up when Republican scheduled debate on Thursday for a constitutional amendment to ban abortion in Iowa.
Rep. Beth Wessel-Kroeschell, Ranking Member of House Human Resources Committee released a statement, saying, “We should be working together to keep Iowans healthy and stop the spread of COVID-19. We should be working together to end racism and hate. Instead, House Republicans just want to play politics.
Scheduling a partisan debate over a woman’s right to make her own health care decisions in the midst of a pandemic is deeply offensive. It’s time for Republicans to put aside their partisan agenda and bring Iowans together.”
The bill is SJR 2001, which is a joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Iowa to protect life by declaring that the Constitution of the State of Iowa shall not be construed to recognize, grant, or secure a right to abortion or to require the public funding of abortion.
This joint resolution proposes an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Iowa specifying that 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.
The joint resolution, if adopted, would be referred to the next general assembly for adoption a second time before being submitted to the electorate for ratification.
Meanwhile the Iowa House of Representatives, ran by Republicans, voted to deny automatic voting rights restoration to felons who owe restitution to victims. Democrats continue to call for an investigation into the Test Iowa program which cost $26 million. Republicans are looking to protect meat packing plants from worker safety lawsuits.