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Des Moines, Iowa, May 5, 2021 / 21:01 pm (CNA).
Iowa lawmakers have laid the groundwork for a proposed state constitutional amendment to prevent recognition of abortion as a legal right, countering a state Supreme Court decision. The main questions now are whether the legislation will pass as soon as possible, and whether voters will back the amendment on a statewide ballot as early as 2024.
One pro-life group says it is important to pass the legislation during the current legislative year, which is expected to close soon.
“We’ve worked hard to educate Iowans and also advocate to our legislators that we feel very strongly in getting the Protect Life Amendment passed this session,” Maggie DeWitte, executive director of Iowans for Life, told the Cedar Rapids Gazette.
DES MOINES - Legislation that would withdraw tax incentives to Big Tech companies found to have censored online speech advanced in the Iowa Legislature, but lawmakers acknowledged the bill needs work, and Gov. Kim Reynolds stopped short of endorsing their efforts.
DES MOINES - A proposal to allow legislators to question Supreme Court justices and overturn their decisions found little support among lobbyists, subcommittee members and, perhaps, most importantly, the Judiciary Committee s chairman.
âItâs done,â House Judiciary Committee Chairman Steve Holt, R-Denison, said Tuesday.
Although he is among Republicans lawmakers who frequently criticize decisions by âunelected judgesâ and âradical courts,â Holt said there were too many problems with the bill.
House File 109 was proposed by Rep. Sandy Salmon, R-Janesville, as a âjudicial accountability bill.â
Salmon Associated Press
Salmon, Holt and other Republicans have complained that the Iowa Supreme Court has created new law in some cases, such as the Varnum decision legalizing same-sex marriage, and in 2018 found a right to abortion in the state constitution.
Salmonâs plan would have provided the Legislature with a process for reviewing â and potentially overturning â any state Supreme Court decision that invalidates a law or has the effect of creating new law.