House Joint Resolution 9 - Introduced
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 9
BY KONFRST, JAMES, STECKMAN,
CAHILL, LEVIN, NIELSEN,
KURTH, AMOS JR., SCHEETZ,
MADISON, WILSON, BUCK,
CROKEN, BAGNIEWSKI,
FORBES, BAETH, GAINES,
ZABNER, GJERDE, JACOBY,
STAED, KRESSIG, EHLERT,
ABDUL-SAMAD, B. MEYER,
OLSON, BROWN-POWERS,
WESSEL-KROESCHELL,
SCHOLTEN, WILBURN, and
MATSON
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION
1 A Joint Resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution
2 of the State of Iowa relating to the right to reproductive
3 care.
4 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
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1 Section 1. The following amendment to the Constitution of
2 the State of Iowa is proposed:
3 Article I of the Constitution of the State of Iowa is amended
4 by adding the following new section:
5 Sec. 26. Right to reproductive care.
6 1. The state shall not deny or interfere with an
7 individual’s reproductive freedom and an individual’s most
8 private decisions concerning reproductive freedom shall not be
9 infringed. Reproductive freedom includes but is not limited
10 to prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, contraception,
11 sterilization, abortion care, miscarriage management, and
12 infertility care. The sovereign state of Iowa affirms
13 and recognizes the right to reproductive freedom to be a
14 fundamental individual right.
15 2. An individual’s right to reproductive freedom shall not
16 be denied, burdened, or infringed upon unless justified by a
17 compelling state interest achieved by the least restrictive
18 means. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection, the
19 state may regulate the provision of abortion care after fetal
20 viability, provided that under no circumstance shall the state
21 prohibit an abortion that, in the professional judgment of an
22 attending health care professional, is medically indicated to
23 protect the life or physical or mental health of the pregnant
24 individual.
25 Sec. 2. REFERRAL AND PUBLICATION. The foregoing proposed
26 amendment to the Constitution of the State of Iowa is referred
27 to the general assembly to be chosen at the next general
28 election for members of the general assembly, and shall be
29 published as provided by law for three consecutive months
30 previous to the date of that election.
31 EXPLANATION
32 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
33 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
34 This joint resolution proposes an amendment to the
35 Constitution of the State of Iowa relating to the right to
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 H.J.R. 9
1 reproductive care specifying:
2 1. The state shall not deny or interfere with an
3 individual’s reproductive freedom and an individual’s most
4 private decisions concerning reproductive freedom shall not be
5 infringed. Reproductive freedom includes but is not limited
6 to prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, contraception,
7 sterilization, abortion care, miscarriage management, and
8 infertility care. The sovereign state of Iowa affirms
9 and recognizes the right to reproductive freedom to be a
10 fundamental individual right.
11 2. An individual’s right to reproductive freedom shall not
12 be denied, burdened, or infringed upon unless justified by a
13 compelling state interest achieved by the least restrictive
14 means. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection, the
15 state may regulate the provision of abortion care after fetal
16 viability, provided that under no circumstance shall the state
17 prohibit an abortion that, in the professional judgment of an
18 attending health care professional, is medically indicated to
19 protect the life or physical or mental health of the pregnant
20 individual.
21 The joint resolution, if adopted, would be published and
22 then referred to the next general assembly (91st) for adoption,
23 before being submitted to the electorate for ratification.
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