HJR 2003 (LSB 5131YH (7) 83)

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 2003

BY  ALONS, CHAMBERS, TYMESON, MAY, KOESTER, WINDSCHITL, SCHULTZ, DE BOEF, SORENSON, SWEENEY, HUSEMAN, KAUFMANN, RAYHONS, HAGENOW, MERTZ, and SODERBERG

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

A Joint Resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Iowa to specify that the right to life is the paramount and most fundamental right of every person, and that personhood applies to all human beings from the beginning of their biological development.

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  The following amendment to the Constitution of the State of Iowa is proposed:

   Section 1 of Article I of the Constitution of the State of Iowa, as amended by amendment number 1 of the Amendments of 1998, is amended to read as follows:

   Rights of persons.  SECTION 1.
   1.  All men and women are, by nature, free and equal, and have certain inalienable rights —— among which are those of enjoying and defending life and liberty, acquiring, possessing and protecting property, and pursuing and obtaining safety and happiness.
   2.  The right to life is the paramount and most fundamental right of every person.
   3.  With respect to the fundamental and inalienable rights of all persons guaranteed in this Constitution, the word “person” applies to all human beings, irrespective of age, health, function, physical or mental dependency, or method of reproduction, whether in vivo or in vitro, from the beginning of their biological development, including the single-cell human embryo.
    Sec. 2.
  REFERRAL AND PUBLICATION.
  The foregoing proposed amendment to the Constitution of the State of Iowa is referred to the General Assembly to be chosen at the next general election for members of the General Assembly, and the Secretary of State is directed to cause the proposed amendment to be published for three consecutive months previous to the date of that election as provided by law.
EXPLANATION
   This joint resolution proposes an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Iowa specifying that the right to life is the paramount and most fundamental right of every person, and that with respect to the fundamental and inalienable rights of all persons guaranteed in the Constitution, the word “person” applies to all human beings, irrespective of age, health, function, physical or mental dependency, or method of reproduction, whether in vivo or in vitro, from the beginning of their biological development, including the single-cell human embryo.
   The resolution, if adopted, would be referred to the next general assembly for adoption, before being submitted to the electorate for ratification.