Senate File 253 - Introduced SENATE FILE BY CHAPMAN, ANDERSON, CHELGREN, EDLER, COSTELLO, GUTH, BERTRAND, FEENSTRA, C. JOHNSON, KRAAYENBRINK, SINCLAIR, BEHN, SEGEBART, BREITBACH, ROZENBOOM, GREENE, LOFGREN, SCHULTZ, D. JOHNSON, SMITH, and ZAUN A BILL FOR 1 An Act relating to the protection of life beginning at 2 conception, and including effective date provisions. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: TLSB 1400XS (4) 87 pf/nh PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 1.19 Rights and protections 1 2 beginning at conception ==== construction. 1 3 1. The sovereign state of Iowa recognizes that life is 1 4 valued and protected from the moment of conception, and 1 5 each life, from that moment, is accorded the same rights and 1 6 protections guaranteed to all persons by the Constitution of 1 7 the United States, the Constitution of the State of Iowa, and 1 8 the laws of this state. 1 9 2. This section shall not be construed to create or 1 10 recognize a right to an abortion, to impose civil or criminal 1 11 liability on a woman upon whom an abortion is performed, or to 1 12 prohibit the use of any means of contraception. 1 13 3. For the purposes of this section: 1 14 a. "Abortifacient" means a method of inhibiting the 1 15 development of a human pregnancy at any stage following 1 16 conception. 1 17 b. "Abortion" means as defined in section 146.1. 1 18 c. "Conception" means the process of combining the male 1 19 gamete, or sperm, with the female gamete, or ovum, resulting 1 20 in a fertilized ovum or zygote. 1 21 d. "Contraception" means a method of inhibiting the 1 22 development of a human pregnancy at any stage prior to 1 23 conception. "Contraception" does not include an abortifacient. 1 24 Sec. 2. APPELLATE JURISDICTION. The Iowa supreme court 1 25 shall not have appellate jurisdiction over the provisions of 1 26 this Act. 1 27 Sec. 3. SEVERABILITY CLAUSE. If any provision of this 1 28 Act or its application to any person or circumstance is held 1 29 invalid, the invalidity does not affect other provisions or 1 30 application of this Act which can be given effect without 1 31 the invalid provision or application, and to this end the 1 32 provisions of this Act are severable. 1 33 Sec. 4. EFFECTIVE UPON ENACTMENT. This Act, being deemed of 1 34 immediate importance, takes effect upon enactment. 1 35 EXPLANATION 2 1 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 2 2 the explanation's substance by the members of the general assembly. 2 3 This bill relates to the protection of life beginning at 2 4 conception. 2 5 The bill provides that the sovereign state of Iowa 2 6 recognizes that life is valued and protected from the moment 2 7 of conception and each life is accorded the same rights and 2 8 protections guaranteed to all persons by the constitutions of 2 9 the state of Iowa and the United States, and by the laws of the 2 10 state. 2 11 The bill provides that notwithstanding any other law to 2 12 the contrary, the bill is not to be construed to create or 2 13 recognize a right to an abortion; to impose civil or criminal 2 14 liability on a woman upon whom an abortion is performed; 2 15 or to prohibit the use of any means of contraception. The 2 16 bill defines "abortifacient", abortion", "conception", and 2 17 "contraception" for the purposes of the bill. LSB 1400XS (4) 87 pf/nh