A lobbyist for an influential evangelical Christian group says the Iowa Supreme Court ruling that upheld a six week abortion ban is a major milestone, but a complete ban on abortion is the ultimate goal.
“While we’ve made great strides in protecting the most innocent among us, we are not done,” Chuck Hurley, a lobbyist for The Family Leader, said Friday at the group’s annual Leadership Summit in Des Moines. “14 states now protect babies from the moment of conception and Iowa should be the 15th.”
Life at Conception or personhood bills have been introduced in the Iowa legislature, in other states and the U-S congress. Alabama and Arkansas have personhood amendments in their state constitutions. Democrats say a personhood law or constitutional amendment could outlaw in vitro fertilization, since Alabama’s Supreme Court recently ruled frozen embryos are children and those who destroy embryos could be held liable for wrongful death.
During his remarks Friday, Hurley discussed other issues The Family Leader has lobbied for and against at the statehouse, but he said abortion-related measures are their top priority. He focused on the recent Iowa Supreme Court’s 4-3 decision that will let a six week abortion ban go into effect this month.
“Praise God for judges McDonald, Oxley, McDermott and May for being faithful to their constitutional role and praise Governor Reynolds for appointing all four of them,” Hurley said, leading the crowd in applause.
Governor Kim Reynolds addressed the crowd later Friday afternoon, but did not mention the ruling or the law.
“The Family Leader has 5 lobbyists at the Capitol. This is who has the ear of Republicans and now he’s telling them he wants a life at conception bill,” House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst, a Democrat from Windsor Heights, said in a post on social media. “…Birth control and IVF are at risk.”