Meeting Public Comments

Subcommittee meeting and times are as follows:

A bill for an act relating to abortions including informed consent, dispensing abortion-inducing drugs, and reporting abortion-inducing drug complications.(Formerly HSB 704.)

Subcommittee members: Wood-CH, Matson, Meyer, A.

Date: Tuesday, April 14, 2026

Time: 12:30 PM - 12:45 PM

Location: RM 305

Names and comments are public records. Remaining information is considered a confidential record.

Comments Submitted:

04-13-2026

Jennifer Kirkman

Iowans do not want or need further restrictions on womens healthcare decisions. The rules requiring healthcare providers to provide false information, in person (an additional barrier) only erodes trust in healthcare providers and reduces the likelihood that providers will administer this healthcare.We are already a healthcare desert. Providers are leaving us or refusing to come here due to this exact overboard and overly restrictive laws. Stop!

04-13-2026

Jack Goodman

This is another example of government intrusion between a doctor and patient. The people of Iowa are tired of the government trying to create mandates about medication and procedures. Leave healthcare access alone. While this is specific about abortion pills, this can easily bleed over later into other healthcare needs of Iowans including monthly birth control and the morning after pill. A vote for No is a vote for freedom of individual choice for what is best in everyones personal lives.

04-13-2026

Heather Staton

Overwhelmingly Iowans have shown that they are against restricting access to abortion. This is not what Iowans want. Once again, women do not need the government to police their bodies. We trust our doctors to tell us what we need, not the Iowa legislature. Iowa Republicans need to worry more about feeding hungry kids than trying to force women into having more.

04-13-2026

Julie Neff

Abortion medication is safe. It's safer than Viagra, Tylenol, and many antibiotics. But this legislation is not about increasing safety for women's reproductive health. It's about yet another Republican attack on women's bodily autonomy and their inherent right to control their own bodies and reproductive choices. The majority of Iowans, over 64% of us, support a woman's right to choose an abortion without interference from Republicans in our legislature. This bill goes against what most women believe for themselves and what most Iowans believe about abortion rights. Just stop. Stop with the attacks on women. Stop trying to force your personal opinions (the exception is Rep. Heather Matson) on others. Stop trying to force birth on people. Just stop.

04-13-2026

Jonathan Danker

Dont Pass HF 2563. It could get women killed. Please focus on Gas prices, lower grocery prices and how to bring People back to Iowa not this so called Culture War stuff. Please if you care about woman, Dont Pass HF 2563.

04-13-2026

LuAnn Widen

NO on HF2536. It is repulsive Womens healthcare is every one else's business. Iowa is going backwards. Goodbye to young families who fear legislators meddling in their family planning. I am 71 years old and saw womens healthcare change for the good bc of Roe V Wade era. I cannot believe how backwards Iowa is going.

04-13-2026

Lynette Iles

Abortifactant medications are some of the safest, most tested medications in the United States. Stop requiring healthcare providers to tell half truths. Stop inserting the government into exam rooms. Stop contributing to the overall lack of women's health care in Iowa and doing things like this which will only make it worse. Please. Stop trying to kill us off.

04-13-2026

Gail Allison [Private citizen]

We are already hemorrhaging doctors and we have hospitals closing. Its because of legislation like this where the state THINKS it knows better than the doctors and patients involved. GOP SAY they are for small government, but all we see is more government overreach in personal family matters. ENOUGH!! Stop these attacks on women. If you want more births address the reasons why people are deciding not to have kids. Fix that and the birth rates will follow. Forced families is NOT the answer to the GOP fear of a white minority. All youre doing is creating animosity and division. Again, ENOUGH. Vote NO.

04-13-2026

Beth Koch

Vote NO. Over 64% of Iowans support abortion. This is one more attempt to prohibit healthcare, our right. Iowa has already lost ob/gyn providers, making Iowa a healthcare desert. Meds are safe, and this puts added strain on provider/patients. JUST STOPE ALREADY.

04-13-2026

Kayla Barber

These bills restricting women's rights and putting their health care in danger need to STOP. According to a September 2024 Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll, 64% of Iowans believe abortion should be legal in all or most cases. Furthermore, 59% of Iowans oppose the state's 6week "fetal heartbeat" abortion ban, with opposition rising to 69% among women. Vote NO or Iowans will vote you out.

04-13-2026

Teresa Wellman

Please oppose this bill and stop this insanity. These targeted drugs have been proven safer than Viagra! This legislature is on the wrong side of their constituents. Were tired of these encroachments on our privacy and our healthcare. Stay out of our doctors offices and let them do their jobs.NO to HF 2563!

04-13-2026

Jean Coen

If someone were requiring men to submit DNA testing so it were easy to determine paternity and assure that all men be part of a data base that not only confirmed parentages and could be easily accessed when a woman is raped or a child is born If that man then was required to be equivocally responsible for the financial responsibility of raising children. If they were wringing their hands in concern of making sure every child they fathered were fed, clothed and educated, then would every man would then require a voice in this narrative. But it is a woman who is solely being held responsible and judged. Step out of the exam room. Lets allow only women to vot on this issue, which only an issue when it comes to am unborn fetus. Once a baby draws its first breath, you stonewall on feeding them, educating and protecting them. Vote no on this injustice. Women are 1/2 of the population and the mothers to the rest. Let the moms decide. Its their right, not yours.

04-13-2026

Linda Schneider

Please stop interfering with what a women and her doctor decides. This is women's healthcare and no place for a legislator.Please vote NO and just stop. We have a lack of rural healthcare in Iowa as it is. This will not help us at all in Iowa.

04-13-2026

Sara Vink

I agree we need to have people be informed on all the options, show them how the cut the fetus up in the womb. Abortion is not health care. The meds can be very painful as the fetus is being excited from the womb. So many other options. Birth control, abstinence, adoption,parenting.

04-13-2026

Denise W

Please do not pass this. This does nothing to ensure the health and wellbeing of the mother and only serves to make it harder to get lifesaving care. Abortion care is already heavily stigmatised so anyone looking to access it will not be doing so for little reason. It can be difficult to go in person if the mother is very sick or without transportation. More women in rural areas are at risk for serious complications if this bill passes

04-13-2026

Amy Simpson

Further restrictions on women's health care will only drive more of our OBGYN doctors out of state at a time when we are already facing massive shortages. Females in Iowa have the same life expectancy that we did in 1900. We need doctors & control of our own bodies.

04-13-2026

Katie Smith

Please vote no. This is unnecessary and majority of this bill intentionally misleads patients (opposite of informed consent) and adds unnecessary barriers to care. Republicans in Iowa want a government so small it can fit in a uteri all while crying almost anything introduced by Democrats equates to overreach and infringement on individual rights and freedoms. Corpses have more bodily autonomy rights than women at this point and that is not hyperbole.

04-13-2026

Tracy Mills

Abortion is a safe and common medical procedure. Regulations should be based on medical science, not extremist religious ideology. I call for the removal of restrictions that create barriers, protection for healthcare providers, and improved access to comprehensive reproductive healthcare for all Iowans.

04-14-2026

Judy Pauley

Iowa is moving in the wrong direction in the consideration of this bill. Women make up over 50% of the population and what they need medically is between them and their healthcare provider. Please focus on ways to make high quality healthcare accessible for all Iowansrural and urban. Our state lags behind in economic growth, education and quality healthcare. That should be your focus, not further legislation that punishes.

04-14-2026

Chelsea Mumm

I strongly urge you to reject HF 2563. There are decades of scientifically sound research, as well as FDA approval, proving that medication abortion (mifepristone and misoprostol) is safe. Forcing patients to hear and doctors to offer the language laid out in this bill is not based on data or reason. This is purely a political attempt to further restrict healthcare access in Iowa, sow fear among patients and doctors, and insert governmental in control into healthcare decisions where it is unnecessary and deeply concerning. Please consult the data when you are considering whether to move this bill forward. Please reject HF 2563.

04-14-2026

Lois Taber

Ive read the comments rejecting the bill HF2563. All the comments regards the womans health but none are concerned about the babys life. If the womans life is in danger, doctors will do all they can to save her. This abortion pill is not safe and the mental damage to destroying the babys life may be latent in the mothers mind.

04-14-2026

Brandi Steck

Medication abortion has been proven time and time again to be safe and effective. What is not safe and effective is promoting abortion reversal, which has NOT been proven to be effective most importantly or safe. Iowa is suffering from a lack of medical providers and what weve heard time and time again from our representatives is that telehealth is the answer. If telehealth is sufficient for mental health and substance use treatment, it should be sufficient for medication abortion access. Please vote NO on HF 2563.

04-14-2026

Beverly Sherbondy

We absolutely do not need this bill. My daughterinlaw likely would have died without this medication being available, and other mothers will die if you pass this. . This bill also is providing false information to patients and will further erode our damaged healthcare system, More physicians will leave from our state. Please do not pass this bill.

04-14-2026

Linda Coats

This is another example of government intrusion in health care Health care decisions should be between patient and doctor without government interference. You are all about individual freedom until you don't agree with the decision. Government has no business interfering with private personal health care decisions.

04-14-2026

Heather Montgomery [Women's Health Services of Eastern Iowa Inc]

HF2563 is very concerning. In Clinton Iowa we are losing our labor and delivery as well as many other pieces of our hospital. This increases drive time for those individuals looking for or needing care. There is a lack of OB providers as it is in our part of the state. It will make it increasingly difficult for women to get the critical care they need. They need more options for care not less. These increased restrictions will cause harm to women's health in our area and risk of penalty for not following rules will cause even more OB providers to not want to practice in the state of Iowa when we are already lacking. Iowans already have health issues and 62 out of 77 rural counties lack a practicing OBGYN. Threat of punishment by HF 2563 will only increase that shortage and not be good for Iowa. As a woman I would like to see better care and more options not less. Women need access to abortions for a wide variety of reasons including fetal demise. Please help Iowans get care.

04-14-2026

Kaibrea Durham

HF 2563 inserts government into medical decisions in a way that should concern anyone who values limited government.Medication abortion is safe and evidencebased. "Abortion reversal" is not. This bill elevates unproven care while restricting access to proven care.Physicians, not lawmakers, should be guiding patients using established medical standards. Mandating discussion of unproven treatments undermines both patient trust and provider judgement.Iowa has repeatedly emphasized telehealth as a solution to provider shortages. It should not be subject to political cherrypicking.This bill does not improve safety, access, or outcomes. And as I've stated before, abortion bans do not stop abortionsthey just make them less safe.Vote NO on HF 2563.

04-14-2026

J Scott

Yes. Please pass this bill. Life begins at conception and abortion is not healthcare, its murder. There have been multiple reports of the abortion pill causing many issues with the mother and her health. The pill should and needs to be banned. Instead of any form of abortion we need more education and encouragement, being proactive, and teach about options. The choice to not have sex, if you dont want a baby, abstinence. Or if you get pregnant then adoption options if you just cant keep your baby. It is just mind blowing how our country has more restrictions on saving turtles on the beach than we do to save human life.

04-14-2026

Justine Stamer

Healthcare in this state is already as terrible as it can possibly get. The more legislation that is passed dictating how doctors are allowed to practice, the worse our healthcare will be. Countless Iowans will suffer if legislation like this is allowed to pass. Not only because of this bill itself, but because the more threats that are made against doctors and how they practice, the fewer will want to stay or come here in the first place. I know from experience how few qualified doctors there are remaining here, and overreaching legislation like this is exactly the reason. I have had to seek healthcare in neighboring states for my endometriosis because qualified OBGYNs refuse to practice in this state due to legislation like this. When they learn where I'm from, the nurses and doctors I've encountered all say one thing: "I'm so sorry."We are pitied by other states. Legislation like this is why.

04-14-2026

Kristel McClenahan

I urge you to oppose HF 2563. As mentioned in previous comments, this legislation unnecessarily inserts government into the health care consults of private citizens and adds to the paperwork for health care providers. Our state is already in a deficit with qualified health care providers, and this legislation will add to this problem. Additionally, this bill adds to, instead of ameliorates, the psychological concerns of pregnant Iowans and their families.