Heartbeat Bill in Iowa Comes into Play

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signed the new Heartbeat Bill into law on May 4, 2018. It is the country’s most limiting abortion legislation yet.

The bill eliminates the possibility for an abortion after the first sign of a fetal heartbeat (which is typically at around six weeks after conception) except in cases of rape, incest, or medical emergency.

“A baby has become something we can throw away,” republican Sandy Salmon said. “This bill says it’s time to change the way we think about unborn life.”

Republican lawmakers worked frequent late nights in order to get the bill ready, and the governor is aware that not everyone will agree with the decision.

“If death is determined when a heart stops beating, then doesn’t a beating heart indicate life?” Salmon said. “For me, it is immoral to stop an innocent beating heart.”

Although the bill drew a lot of positive Republican attention, it still does have many opponents who feel it is unfair for women.

“The likelihood that an individual can miss her period, get a pregnancy test, then make an appointment to see an abortion provider, take time off of work if she’s working, find child care for her other children, get in to get her abortion and have all of that done prior to a six-week time period is absolutely unrealistic and unreasonable,” Dr. Jamila Perritt of Physicians for Reproductive Health said.

Perritt said that the law is simply to limit access to abortions and is not a health precaution in the interest of women.

“The reality is that it’s justice by geography,” Perritt said. “Abortion is legal in this country.”

Senior Madelene Martinez said that abortion should be a decision made by those who are actually in the situation.

“I don’t think the government should be in control of the decisions a woman makes about herself,” Martinez said.