Senate Joint Resolution 2003 - Introduced SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 2003 BY PETERSEN , TOWNSEND , BISIGNANO , KNOX , BLAKE , DREY , HARDMAN , STAED , DONAHUE , DOTZLER , ZIMMER , WINCKLER , QUIRMBACH , and WEINER SENA TE JOINT RESOLUTION A Joint Resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution 1 of the State of Iowa relating to the right to reproductive 2 care. 3 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 5855XS (4) 91 ak/ko
S.J.R. 2003 Section 1. The following amendment to the Constitution of 1 the State of Iowa is proposed: 2 Article I of the Constitution of the State of Iowa is amended 3 by adding the following new section: 4 Sec. 26. Right to reproductive care. 5 1. The sovereign state of Iowa affirms and recognizes 6 the right to reproductive freedom to be a fundamental 7 individual right. The state shall not deny or interfere with 8 an individual’s reproductive freedom and an individual’s 9 private decisions concerning reproductive freedom shall not be 10 infringed. An individual’s right to reproductive freedom shall 11 not be denied, burdened, or infringed upon unless justified by 12 a compelling state interest achieved by the least restrictive 13 means. Reproductive freedom includes but is not limited to 14 prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, contraception, 15 sterilization, abortion care, miscarriage management, and 16 infertility care. 17 2. Notwithstanding subsection 1, the state may regulate 18 the provision of abortion care after fetal viability, provided 19 that under no circumstance shall the state prohibit an abortion 20 that, in the professional judgment of an attending health care 21 professional, is medically indicated to protect the life or 22 physical or mental health of the pregnant individual. For 23 the purposes of this subsection, “fetal viability” means the 24 point in pregnancy when, in the professional judgment of an 25 attending health care professional and based on the particular 26 facts of the case, there is a significant likelihood of 27 sustained survival of the fetus outside the uterus without the 28 application of extraordinary medical measures. 29 Sec. 2. REFERRAL AND PUBLICATION. The foregoing proposed 30 amendment to the Constitution of the State of Iowa is referred 31 to the general assembly to be chosen at the next general 32 election for members of the general assembly, and shall be 33 published as provided by law for three consecutive months 34 previous to the date of that election. 35 -1- LSB 5855XS (4) 91 ak/ko 1/ 2
S.J.R. 2003 EXPLANATION 1 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 2 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 3 This joint resolution proposes an amendment to the 4 Constitution of the State of Iowa relating to the right to 5 reproductive care. 6 The proposed amendment provides that the right to 7 reproductive freedom is a fundamental individual right; 8 the state shall not deny or interfere with an individual’s 9 reproductive freedom and an individual’s private decisions 10 concerning reproductive freedom shall not be infringed. The 11 proposed amendment declares that the right shall not be denied, 12 burdened, or infringed upon absent a compelling state interest 13 achieved by the least restrictive means. 14 The proposed amendment defines reproductive freedom 15 to include prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, 16 contraception, sterilization, abortion care, miscarriage 17 management, and infertility care. 18 The proposed amendment provides the exception that the 19 state may regulate the provision of abortion care after fetal 20 viability provided the state does not prohibit an abortion 21 that, in the professional judgment of an attending health care 22 professional, is medically indicated to protect the life or 23 physical or mental health of the pregnant individual. “Fetal 24 viability” is defined by the proposed amendment. 25 The joint resolution, if adopted, would be published and 26 then referred to the next general assembly (92nd) for adoption, 27 before being submitted to the electorate for ratification. 28 -2- LSB 5855XS (4) 91 ak/ko 2/ 2