Opponents of a bill which would enforce a 24-hour waiting period for abortions staged a walk-out today — continuing statehouse tensions over the abortion issue. The bill cleared the Iowa House late last night and won the approval of the Senate Human Resources Committee this morning — but only the republicans who favored the bill went to the meeting. Senator John Redwine, a republican from Sioux City, is the bill’s chief Senate sponsor.If the bill becomes law, doctors who “knowingly and recklessly” performs an abortion would be charged with a crime. Senator Redwine, who is a doctor, downplays that portion of the bill.Senator Elaine Szymoniak, a democrat from Des Moines, says abortion rights forces are slowly but surely losing their battle against opponents of abortion.Szymoniak says she’ll never again give a penny to a political candidate who does not share her views.Senator Maggie Tinsman, a republican from Davenport, said she was “just boiling” over the idea politicians wanted to make doctors criminals if they didn’t “preach” to women seeking an abortion. She opposed the bill, and didn’t go to the committee meeting.
