Pro-abortion rights demonstrators fill the Iowa State Capitol rotunda in Des Moines, shouting their opposition to a six-week abortion ban, also referred to as the “fetal heartbeat law.” It was debated in a special session on Tuesday. Photo by Joe Fisher/UPI

The bill is excepted to pass before night’s end.

Abortion is currently legal in Iowa up to 20 weeks into pregnancy. Most women are not aware that they are pregnant within six weeks of conception.

The state legislature passed the “fetal heartbeat bill” in 2018 and it was signed by Reynolds, but was quickly tied up in litigation. Last year, an Iowa district court denied the governor’s request to revisit the law.

During this year’s regular session Reynolds again attempted to push the measure through the legislature, only to be stopped by a split decision by the state’s highest court last month.

“Iowans have elected representatives willing to stand up for the rights of the unborn and, in doing so, they have voted strongly in support of pro-life principles and against the arbitrary destruction of innocent, defenseless lives,” Reynolds said in a statement announcing the special session last week.

The law as written will take effect immediately after being signed by the governor.

Iowa’s seven Supreme Court judges are Republican appointees.

Sen. Izaah Knox, D-Des Moines, opposed the governor convening a special session to pass one of the nation’s most restrictive abortion laws.

“It’s the wrong time to call a special session. This should take more time,” Knox told UPI. “It’s unpopular with Iowans. Seventy-percent of women don’t like it, plus 60% of Iowans in general don’t like it. It’s a power overreach.”

Knox said he believes that the motivation to pass the ban in July is to keep it out of the minds of voters during the next election cycle.

Rep. Jennifer Konfrst, D-Polk County, agreed. Speaking to the crowd during a recess, Konfrst exclaimed, “It is none of their business what I do with my body.”

“It’s none of their business what I do with my body. They’re going to see why they’re wrong for doing this in the summer, hoping you’ll forget,” she said.

Democrats and Republicans spent much of the afternoon in caucus, anticipating action to be taken in what would likely be a late evening session.

When the special session began at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, hundreds of people already were demonstrating in the rotunda of the Iowa State Capitol building. A majority of the crowd was vocally opposed to the abortion ban, though there was a spattering of demonstrators in support. As the day went on, fewer and fewer of abortion ban supporters could be found.

More than 1,000 people registered in opposition of the law.

Early in the day, at the center of the rotunda, a small group of demonstrators from opposite sides of the issue briefly came nose-to-nose before separating. The demonstrations were otherwise peaceful.

By noon, the crowd began to overflow into the hallways where committee meetings are held. Legislators reported hearing the crowd chanting clearly.

“We can’t wait to vote you out,” the crowd chanted throughout the halls of the Capitol building.

Joyce Bruene, an anti-abortion rights demonstrator, largely stayed silent throughout the day, wearing a shirt that read, “Repent.” She told UPI she was there to repent for her generation for allowing Roe v. Wade to pass.

“I’m here repenting for the older women of the ’60s and ’70s who supported this in the very beginning because we bought into the lies and we bought into the hype that we were doing something to save women,” she said.

Bruene offered an explanation for why the anti-abortion rights contingent was so widely outnumbered, saying that Planned Parenthood had brought people in from out of state to demonstrate. Mazie Stillwell, director of public affairs for Planned Parenthood Advocates of Iowa, said the claim is “absolutely false.” The organization did transport people from throughout the state to the Capitol, however.

“Everything about today is unprecedented. The fact that Republicans are calling a single-day special session for the sole purpose of taking away the fundamental reproductive freedom of Iowans is completely unprecedented,” Stillwell said in an interview with UPI. “Iowans are not happy that the rights that they have said time and time again that they want to maintain are being stripped away from them in this political power grab that we are seeing here today.”

Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy made his way across the rotunda while being chided with chants of “shame.” Ramaswamy was in Des Moines to show support for Reynolds during the special session.

“The democratic process is messy for the same reason it’s beautiful. Live from the Iowa State Capitol on a historic day. Proud of @KimReynoldsIA and the Iowa legislature for protecting life.,” Ramaswamy tweeted.

Betty VanWoert of Clive, Iowa, told UPI that despite the large turnout in opposition and polling that indicates a majority of Iowans support legal access to abortions, she expects the ban to be signed into law.

“A majority of Iowans’ voices will not be heard today,” she said. “I expect them to ram it through at the zenith hour where they pass most of their legislation, in the dark of night.”

Mark Skahill of West Des Moines said his position on abortion has changed over the years. He once stood opposed to abortion but has since “moved from the right to the left.” In an interview with UPI, Skahill, who was raised Catholic, said his frustration with the Catholic Church was a factor in his stance on abortion changing.

“I believe in women’s rights. I have two adult daughters and I don’t want the state government telling them what to do with their bodies,” he said. “With our current governor trying to push this through on a national level, it’s wrong. I think a majority of Iowans don’t support this.”

Linda Lawson, an anti-abortion rights demonstrator, told UPI she thinks the special session is appropriate because the six-week abortion ban already had passed through the state Legislature.

Stillwell and Mark Stringer, executive director of the ACLU of Iowa, told UPI they expect another long legal battle ahead when the law is passed.

“We won’t stop fighting,” Stringer said. “It’s too important.”