Senate File 287 - Introduced SENATE FILE 287 BY SORENSON A BILL FOR An Act relating to the determination of when life begins and 1 acknowledging the rights, privileges, and immunities of an 2 unborn child. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 2589XS (1) 84 pf/nh
S.F. 287 Section 1. NEW SECTION . 598C.1 Unborn child —— findings —— 1 rights, privileges, and immunities —— no cause of action. 2 1. The general assembly of this state finds all of the 3 following: 4 a. The life of each human being begins at conception. 5 b. An unborn child has protectable interests in life, 6 health, and well-being. 7 c. The biological parent of an unborn child has protectable 8 interests in the life, health, and well-being of the unborn 9 child. 10 2. The laws of this state shall be interpreted and construed 11 to acknowledge on behalf of an unborn child at every stage 12 of development, all the rights, privileges, and immunities 13 available to other persons, citizens, and residents of this 14 state. 15 3. As used in this section, “unborn child” means the 16 offspring of a human being from the moment of conception until 17 birth at every stage of biological development. 18 4. Nothing in this section shall be interpreted to create 19 a cause of action against a woman for indirectly harming the 20 woman’s unborn child by failing to properly care for herself or 21 by failing to follow any particular program of prenatal care. 22 EXPLANATION 23 This bill relates to the determination of when the life of a 24 human being begins and the rights, privileges, and immunities 25 ascribed to an unborn child and the interests of the unborn 26 child’s biological parents. 27 The bill provides findings including that the life of 28 each human being begins at conception; an unborn child has 29 protectable interests in life, health, and well-being; and the 30 biological parent of an unborn child has protectable interests 31 in the life, health, and well-being of the unborn child. 32 The bill provides that the laws of the state of Iowa are 33 to be interpreted and construed to acknowledge on behalf of 34 an unborn child all the rights, privileges, and immunities 35 -1- LSB 2589XS (1) 84 pf/nh 1/ 2
S.F. 287 available to other persons, citizens, and residents of Iowa. 1 Under the bill, “unborn child” means the offspring of a human 2 being from the moment of conception until birth at every stage 3 of biological development. 4 The bill provides that the provisions of the bill are not 5 to be interpreted to create a cause of action against a woman 6 for indirectly harming the woman’s unborn child by failing 7 to properly care for herself or by failing to follow any 8 particular program of prenatal care. 9 -2- LSB 2589XS (1) 84 pf/nh 2/ 2