Republicans are making a fresh push to require Iowans to see a doctor in person to receive abortion medications as the end of the state’s legislative session approaches.
House File 2563 would say doctors could only dispense abortion medications such as mifepristone and misoprostol in person after performing an exam on the patient.
“I think we really do need to take a serious look at making sure that access to medication like this is not from an unlicensed, unregulated source from who knows where,” said Rep. Devon Wood, R-New Market.
Kyrstin Delagardelle, public affairs director for Planned Parenthood Advocates of Iowa, said abortion providers like her organization already provide information to patients verbally and in writing about abortion medication and follow up with patients in the weeks after they receive the medication.
“This bill is unnecessary government overreach and interferes with best practices for medical care,” she said. “Health care decisions, including abortion, should be guided by medicine and science, not determined by politicians.”
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of mifepristone, determining it is safe and effective if used as directed.
Bill moving again after stalling for weeks
The bill is beginning to move through the legislative process after weeks without any action as lawmakers approach the 100th day of the session on April 21. That’s when lawmakers’ per diem payments will run out and is typically a target date for ending the session.
A three-member House subcommittee voted 2-1 to advance the bill on April 14, sending it to the full House Appropriations Committee for consideration.
Republican House leaders moved the bill to the Appropriations Committee to keep the bill alive following the Iowa Legislature’s second “funnel” deadline on March 20.
The bill previously passed the House Health and Human Services Committee and was eligible for a floor vote, but leaders never called it up.
If leadership had called the bill up, Republicans would have had to vote on a proposed amendment from Rep. Zach Dieken, R-Granville, which would have replaced the bill with legislation banning all abortions from the moment of fertilization and making it a crime for doctors to perform abortions and for women to have the procedure.
If the bill passes the Appropriations Committee, it will receive a new number and Dieken’s amendment will no longer apply. A spokesperson for House Republicans did not respond to a question about whether Dieken intends file the amendment again.
Iowa law currently bans most abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy.
Amendment would remove language about abortion ‘reversal’
Wood said Republicans intend to amend the bill in committee to remove language saying it may be possible to reverse the effects of a medication abortion.
Major medical groups say science does not support the claim that abortions can be reversed.
Lobbyists for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Iowa Medical Society both testified that their organizations are opposed to the bill and are concerned about potential unintended consequences.
But they said they appreciated that the language about abortion reversals would be removed.
“It sounds like our biggest concern has been addressed in the amendment,” said Seth Brown, a lobbyist for the Iowa Medical Society.
Wood thanked the medical groups for providing input on the bill’s language.
“From day one with this piece of legislation we’ve shown a commitment to working with our medical providers,” she said. “We want to make sure that women are getting medication from a known source and having those conversations with a doctor related to what’s going on in their health care.”
Rep. Heather Matson, D-Ankeny, said the bill has “fearmongering” language that does not align with standard medical terminology, pointing to the bill’s use of the term “chemical abortion.”
“I will certainly have a conversation with anybody who wants to talk about making sure that if medication is coming into this state by mail that it is being done so in a safe way,” she said. “But that is not just what this bill is about.”
Iowa doctors could face licensing discipline, out of state groups could be sued
Anyone who dispenses an abortion medication in violation of the bill’s requirements could be sued for damages.
However, licensed Iowa medical providers who violate the legislation would only be subject to licensing discipline.
The provision is intended to allow lawsuits against out-of-state medical providers or organizations who may provide abortion medication virtually, although several states have “shield laws” that prevent providers being sued in other states.
Stephen Gruber-Miller covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. He can be reached by email at sgrubermil@registermedia.com or by phone at 515-284-8169. Follow him on X at @sgrubermiller.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Republicans again advance restrictions on abortion medications in Iowa
Reporting by Stephen Gruber-Miller, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
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