Fiscal Note
Fiscal Services Division
HJR 5 – Abortion, Constitutional Amendment (LSB1207HV)
Staff Contact: Christopher Ubben (515.725.0134) chris.ubben@legis.iowa.gov
Fiscal Note Version – New
Description
House Joint Resolution 5 proposes an amendment to the Iowa Constitution specifying that the
Constitution shall not be construed to recognize, grant, or secure a right to abortion or to require
the public funding of abortion.
Background
Iowa Code section 49A.1 and the Iowa Constitution require that when an amendment to the
Constitution is first passed by the General Assembly, and has been referred to the next
succeeding General Assembly, the General Assembly is required to publish the proposed
amendment in two newspapers of general circulation in each Iowa congressional district once
each month for three consecutive months prior to the start of the next General Assembly. The
General Assembly is also required to make the amendment available on an Internet site.
Upon passage of the same amendment by the succeeding General Assembly, Iowa Code
section 49A.2 requires the amendment to be published in newspapers in all 99 counties once
each month for 3 consecutive months immediately preceding the general election.
Iowa Code section 49A.9 requires that these expenses, while arranged by the General
Assembly, are required to be paid for by the State Commissioner of Elections (Secretary of
State).
Assumptions
• The average cost to publish an amendment in a single newspaper is $600.
• Publication of the initial amendment would occur in eight newspapers (two in each
congressional district) for a three-month period.
• Subsequent publication of the amendment would occur in 99 newspapers (one in each
county) for a three-month period if the Joint Resolution were passed by the 89th General
Assembly.
Fiscal Impact
Constitutional Amendment Publication Cost. The estimated cost to publish a proposed
constitutional amendment passed by the General Assembly during the 2021 Legislative Session
would be $14,400 (8 newspapers x 3 months x $600). The costs would be incurred in the fall of
2022 (FY 2023).
Assuming the proposed amendment is passed a second time during the 2023 Legislative
Session, the estimated cost would be $178,200 (99 newspapers x 3 months x $600). The costs
would be incurred in the fall of 2024 (FY 2025).
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These publication costs would be incurred by the Secretary of the Senate’s Office and the Chief
Clerk’s Office in the House of Representatives and reimbursed by the Iowa Secretary of State’s
Office.
Sources
Legislative Services Agency
Office of the Secretary of State
/s/ Holly M. Lyons
January 26, 2021
Doc ID 1210436
The fiscal note for this Bill was prepared pursuant to Joint Rule 17 and the Iowa Code. Data used in
developing this fiscal note is available from the Fiscal Services Division of the Legislative Services
Agency upon request.
www.legis.iowa.gov
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