Photo: Digital Vision
DES MOINES, Iowa -- Democrats in the Iowa House want to give voters the ability to change the state's Constitution protecting abortion rights.
"Our amendment wants to ensure Iowans have access to reproductive care and abortions by adding it to Iowa's constitution. We've taken language that has passed overwhelmingly in other states," says Polk County Democratic Representative and House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst.
"We believe that Iowa's deserve to know that the Constitution exists to grant rights, not take them away," she says.
Any amendment to the Iowa Constitution would need to be approved in two consecutive legislative sessions before being put on a ballot to go before voters.
Konfrst says they also want bills to make birth control pills accessible through a pharmacist without a prescription, extend Medicaid postpartum coverage to 12 months, and restore family planning programs under Medicaid.
The Democrats say the four bills will be read into the Iowa House over the next few days. It's unknown how far the bills will go in what's left of this year's legislative session.