Bill declaring no right to abortion moves to full Senate

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A committee has approved a bill that would amend the Iowa Constitution to declare there is no right to an abortion in Iowa, making it eligible for debate in the full Senate.

All but three of the 32 Senate Republicans have signed onto the bill, which the committee approved Tuesday. No Democrats have signaled support of the measure.

Republican Sen. Jake Chapman introduced it in January, just days after an Iowa judge overturned last year’s fetal heartbeat law, which banned abortions as early as six weeks into a pregnancy.

Chapman says his bill addresses what he considers judicial tyranny and overreach.

Democratic Sen. Claire Celsi says she’s disgusted by Republican attempts to “spread misinformation and scare monger about women’s constitutional rights to make their own health care decisions.”

She says the bill is a response to GOP frustrations over their lack of progress in the courts.