July 29, 2024
“Iowa’s preborn children deserve the best possible chance at life and the strongest possible protections. Today, after many long years of fighting, they finally are embraced in law – a Heartbeat Protection Act that ensures more than 90 percent of abortions cannot be committed in the state,” said Students for Life Action President Kristan Hawkins.
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DES MOINES (06-04-2024) – Students for Life Action (SFLAction) celebrates the implementation of Iowa’s long awaited Heartbeat Protection Law, which officially took effect today, surviving numerous abortion industry court challenges. Students for Life Action President Kristan Hawkins said, “We fought for years to see the strongest possible protections for preborn lives in Iowa, and, today, we are celebrating the hope and a future available for Iowans in the womb. Through grassroots advocacy, lobbying, door knocking campaigns, testifying, prayer, and patience, the Pro-Life Generation has been proud to fight for life. I want to especially thank Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds for her leadership in getting us to this point.”
SFLAction worked tirelessly in Iowa over the years to secure passage of this heartbeat law, which was signed into effect by Gov. Reynolds in July 2023. Before this special session, SFLAction mobilized volunteers and students to engage and educate lawmakers in order to put forward the strongest possible protections for the preborn.
However, multiple lawsuits and challenges prevented the law from taking effect. In 2022, the court held there is no “fundamental right” to abortion, but, in a 2023 case, the court split 3-3 on what the “correct legal standard should be for judging the constitutionality of abortion laws.”
Thankfully, in June 2024, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled 4-3 to remove an injunction blocking enforcement of the law. Heartbeat protection laws are a far more effective way to protect preborn life than 15-week laws, which allow more than nine in 10 abortions.
TO READ MORE ABOUT OUR SUPPORT FOR HEARTBEAT PROTECTION LAWS AS A MINIMUM STANDARD, CLICK HERE.
SFLAction has advocated for other pro-life legislation in Iowa other the years, including The End Chemical Abortions (HF 146) and the End Intentional Abortion (HF 510) bills, filed by Reps. Jeff Shipley and Luana Stoltenburg. If they passed, the laws would’ve closed abortion facilities and made abortion unavailable in Iowa.
SFLAction has also advocated for multiple pro-life candidates in the Iowa, including Samantha Fett (House District 22) and Judd Lawler (House District 91), who won their respective primaries in early June. In the previous election cycle in 2022, SFLAction leaders were able to knocked on 366 doors, made 50,430 phone calls, and sent 10,783 text messages highlighting Rep. Shipley’s pro-life accomplishments in the community.
For interviews, contact [email protected].
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The Pro-Life Generation (PLG) is an umbrella organization encompassing the most-cutting edge engagement opportunities for a Vote Pro-Life First Community. PLG includes Students for Life Action (SFLAction), a 501c4, along with its 501c3 sister organization, Students for Life of America (SFLA), that together make up the nation’s largest, pro-life youth organization, managing a grassroots political and policy operation engaging Americans of all ages but with a special emphasis on the largest segment of voters — the Youth Vote. Headquartered in Fredericksburg, VA, PLG/SFLA/SFLAction serves more than 1,400 groups on middle, high school, college, medical, and law school campuses in all 50 states. Our team has more conversations with this generation targeted by the abortion lobby than any other pro-life operation in the world, each week reaching more than 4 million across social media platforms and averaging 1.3 million video views. In addition to SFLA/SFLAction, PLG leads multiple initiatives to lead and serve the future of the pro-life movement including the Campaign for Abortion Free Cities, Standing With You, and the Demetree Institute for Pro-Life Advancement . Over more than 17 years, PLG CEO Kristan Hawkins has grown the operation into a nearly $20M organization, now preparing for an abortion-free America.
