Here We Go Again: Iowa House Sneaks Fetal Personhood Law Back InPlanned Parenthood of Greater Iowa
Shortly before last week's deadline, opponents of a woman's right to choose slipped in a bill that would redefine "person" in the Iowa Criminal Code as "a member of the species homo sapiens, at any stage of development, when carried in the womb or after birth."
Citing the Laci Peterson case, proponents of House File 752 (HF 752) claim it is needed in order to punish perpetrators of crimes against pregnant women resulting in death or injury to the fetus. Governor Vilsack observed when he vetoed this measure last year that an Iowa law enacted several years ago already addresses this issue.
The dangerous reality of the bill is that it creates tensions with Roe v. Wade. HF 752 elevates the legal status of the fetus to that of an adult human being and provides separate legal protection to a fertilized egg, embryo or fetus.
Iowa Law Already Exists to Punish Violent Crimes against Pregnant Women
Iowa Code section 707.8(1) deals with terminating a human pregnancy without the consent of the pregnant woman during the commission of a forcible felony (murder, kidnapping, robbery, assault or arson). A person found guilty under this Code section is guilty of a Class B felony. There is a maximum 25-year penalty for Class B felonies.
HF 752 takes the focus away from the woman who is the victim and instead focuses on the fetus.
When Governor Vilsack vetoed identical legislation last year, he stated that greater accountability for people committing crimes against a pregnant woman and greater protection for pregnant women could be accomplished by increasing existing penalties.
In 2004, during consideration of this legislation, amendments to increase penalties under current law for crimes against pregnant women were defeated, thus exposing the true intent of proponents to define fetus as a person.
The House could debate HF 752 any time. Urge your State Representative to oppose this measure.
Click here to send a quick letter to your Iowa representative.
